2001 Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics

NHTSA · 2001 · ROSA P / Pennsylvania. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

The 2001 Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics report, published by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Highway Safety and Traffic Engineering, provides a comprehensive statistical review of reportable motor vehicle crashes in the Commonwealth for the calendar year 2001. The data is compiled from traffic crash reports submitted by state, county, municipal, and other law enforcement agencies as mandated by the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code. This publication serves as a factual record of traffic safety outcomes, detailing the frequency, severity, and characteristics of crashes to inform public understanding and policy. The report notes that 2001 marked the first year of a new crash form and reporting system, which introduced subtle changes to data fields but maintained continuity with previous years’ formats. The methodology relies on aggregated data from 131,292 reportable crashes, defined as incidents involving injury, fatality, or vehicle damage requiring towing. The analysis categorizes crashes by injury severity, crash type, vehicle type, driver demographics, environmental conditions, and geographic location. Specific metrics include vehicle-miles of travel, calculated at approximately 103.5 billion for the period, allowing for the calculation of fatality rates per hundred million vehicle-miles. The report also estimates economic losses based on PENNDOT cost estimates for deaths, injuries, and property damage. Key findings indicate that while total reportable crashes decreased by 10.8% compared to 2000, fatalities increased slightly by 0.8% to 1,532 deaths, and injuries decreased by 10.4% to 117,860. The 2001 fatality rate was 1.48 deaths per hundred million vehicle-miles, tied for the lowest recorded rate in Pennsylvania history. Passenger cars were involved in the majority of crashes (71.3%) and occupant deaths (65.3%). Speed-related fatalities rose significantly by 32% to 256 deaths. Alcohol-related deaths increased by 3.7% to 529. Male drivers aged 16–20 were involved in more crashes than any other demographic group. The total estimated economic loss due to traffic crashes was $12.4 billion, equating to $1,011 per Pennsylvania resident. The significance of this report lies in its detailed breakdown of traffic safety trends, highlighting specific risk factors such as speed, alcohol involvement, and young male drivers. It provides a baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of highway safety initiatives and vehicle safety technologies, such as seat belts and airbags, which are analyzed in subsequent sections of the full document. The data underscores the persistent economic and human costs of traffic crashes despite a decade-long decline in total crash numbers, offering critical insights for legislators, safety engineers, and law enforcement agencies aiming to reduce future fatalities and injuries.

Key finding

In 2001, Pennsylvania recorded 131,292 reportable traffic crashes resulting in 1,532 deaths and 117,860 injuries, with a fatality rate of 1.48 per hundred million vehicle-miles of travel.

Methodology

dataset

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• demographic disparities
• fatality injury trends
• comparative international

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence