2003 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts

NHTSA · 2004 · ROSA P / Virginia. Dept. of Motor Vehicles

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Summary

The document *2003 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts*, published by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in 2004, provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of traffic safety in Virginia for the year 2003. Compiled through cooperative efforts with the Virginia Department of State Police and the Virginia Department of Transportation, the report aims to identify safety problems and support education and community activities. It aggregates data on crashes, fatalities, injuries, and contributing factors to offer a detailed view of highway safety trends. The report utilizes police reports and medical examiner data to categorize crashes by severity, location, time, and driver characteristics. Key metrics include total crashes, fatalities (deaths within 30 days), and injuries, alongside specific analyses of alcohol-related incidents, speeding, and vehicle types. Data is broken down by DMV districts, counties, cities, and towns, as well as by hour and day of the week. The methodology defines reportable crashes as those involving death, injury, or property damage exceeding $1,000. Alcohol-related status is determined by police reports and medical examiner findings, with blood alcohol content (BAC) testing results included for convicted drivers. In 2003, Virginia recorded 154,848 traffic crashes, a 4.81% increase from 2002. Fatalities rose by 3.18% to 942, while injuries decreased slightly by 0.07% to 78,842. The death rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased to 1.23. Alcohol was a significant factor, with 361 fatalities and 7,819 injuries in alcohol-related crashes, representing a 3.73% and 7.63% decrease, respectively, from the previous year. Approximately 7.1% of all crashes involved a drinking driver, rising to 13.5% for fatal crashes. Speeding was cited in 11.2% of all crashes and 22.0% of fatal crashes. Nighttime hours, particularly between 10:00 P.M. and 2:00 A.M., saw higher concentrations of fatal crashes. The Fairfax District had the highest number of crashes, while rural counties often exhibited higher death rates per licensed driver. The findings highlight persistent challenges in traffic safety, particularly regarding alcohol impairment and speeding, despite a slight reduction in alcohol-related injuries. The increase in total crashes and fatalities, coupled with rising vehicle miles traveled and registered vehicles, underscores the need for continued enforcement and public education. The report serves as a critical resource for policymakers and safety advocates to target interventions, such as DUI prevention and speed management, based on localized and temporal crash patterns.

Key finding

In 2003, Virginia recorded 942 traffic fatalities and 78,842 injuries across 154,848 reported crashes, with 361 fatalities and 7,819 injuries linked to alcohol involvement.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• demographic disparities
• vru crash typology
• fatality injury trends
• sex gender

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes