2006 Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics

NHTSA · 2006 · ROSA P / Pennsylvania. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This document is a statistical report published by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Highway Safety and Traffic Engineering, detailing motor vehicle crash data for the calendar year 2006. The report compiles figures from traffic crash reports submitted by state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies. It serves as a comprehensive review of reportable crashes, defined as incidents involving injury, fatality, or vehicle damage requiring towing. The 2006 publication is notable for including data from 2002, which had been previously omitted due to delays in implementing a new crash reporting system. The analysis covers 128,342 reportable crashes in Pennsylvania during 2006, resulting in 1,525 fatalities and 96,597 injuries. These figures represent the lowest total crash count and the second-lowest fatality count in the preceding five years. The fatality rate decreased to 1.41 deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles of travel, down from 1.51 in 2005. The report categorizes crashes by severity, type, vehicle involvement, driver demographics, environmental conditions, and geographic location. It also provides five-year trend comparisons and historical data dating back to 1936 to contextualize current safety metrics. Key findings indicate that passenger cars were involved in the majority of crashes (63.9% of vehicles), followed by light trucks, vans, and SUVs (28.9%). Male drivers aged 16–20 were involved in more crashes than any other demographic group. Regarding crash types, hitting a fixed object was the most common incident (31.3% of crashes), while head-on collisions, though less frequent, accounted for a significant portion of deaths. Alcohol-related crashes resulted in 545 deaths, and speed-related crashes caused 474 fatalities. The economic loss attributed to these crashes was estimated at $11.1 billion, equating to approximately $895 per Pennsylvania resident. Additionally, the report highlights specific risks for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, noting that overturning accounted for nearly 40% of deaths in light truck, van, and SUV crashes. The significance of this report lies in its provision of granular data to support highway safety initiatives and policy decisions. By identifying high-risk demographics, such as young male drivers, and prevalent crash types, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation aims to target interventions effectively. The document underscores the continued decline in fatality rates over the long term, attributing improvements to advancements in vehicles, roadways, and safety regulations. It also emphasizes the substantial economic burden of traffic crashes, reinforcing the need for continued safety efforts to reduce injuries and fatalities.

Key finding

In 2006, Pennsylvania recorded 128,342 reportable traffic crashes resulting in 1,525 deaths and a fatality rate of 1.41 per hundred million vehicle-miles of travel.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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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