Technology makes cars and highways safer. So why are we experiencing the first increase in traffic deaths since 1986? Most the causes of fatalities in the 2005 death toll showed lower numbers, but deaths among motorcyclists and pedestrians increased and outweighed everything else.

There are multiple ways to measure highway fatalities. The most common is the body count: 43,443 in 2005 versus 42,836 in 2004, up 607 deaths, or 1.4 percent. Unfortunately, while it's the most heavily publicized, the body count is less valid statistically: It's linked to the economy (people drive less in down times) and America's growing population. The best indicator is deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and this has trended downward in a nearly continuous curve since statistics were first kept, after World War I. By this measure, 2005 was the first year-over-year increase in highway deaths (that is, compared with the previous year) since 1986, when the count was about 2.5 fatalities per 100 million VMT versus 2005's 1.47.

Which Way to Report Stats?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), keeper of the statistics, perpetuates the problem, because it reports most of the numbers in its public documents in fatalities rather than fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. (On the other hand, the numbers are pretty dry as it is, without going overboard on "100M VMTs," or 100 million vehicle miles traveled.)

Of the 607 additional fatalities in 2005 (versus 2004, and minus reduced deaths in some categories) were 525 more motorcycle deaths, 206 more pedestrian deaths, 57 more bicycle deaths, and 28 more big truck/bus deaths, which couldn't be offset by the 451 fewer passenger car (and SUV and minivan) deaths. That's the eighth straight year with an increase in motorcycle fatalities.

"We have no tolerance for any numbers higher than zero," said Acting Transportation Secretary Maria Cino in a prepared press release. "Motorcyclists need to wear their helmets, drivers need to buckle up, and all motorists need to stay sober." From the stats, it appears motorcyclists are the ones not holding up their end of the bargain.

Fewer Helmets Being Worn

According to the NHTSA officials, the single biggest factor in fatalities is motorcycle riders not wearing helmets. Even though helmets use lighter and stronger plastics and even carbon fiber, some enthusiasts (a minority) claim that any helmet increases their risk, because the added weight whips the head around in an accident; others say helmets diminish their hearing (regardless of how well muffled their own bikes are). And some add that wearing a helmet is their own, free choice. Most of those arguments have been rebutted.

Good Signs, Mixed Signs

In passenger vehicles, 55 percent of people killed weren't wearing seat belts, the same as last year. (That discounts 7 percent of the fatalities in both years in which police didn't or couldn't record the information.) Alcohol-related fatalties were off slightly (-0.2 percent) and were considered factors in 39 percent of all fatal accidents. Taken together, those two findings suggest that driving sober (or riding only with sober drivers) and wearing seat belts reduce the chance of being in a fatal accident to a statistically minor number.

While rollover fatalities increased by 2 percent, the number was down 2 percent in SUVs, perhaps because more SUVs have stability control, which compensates for aggressive or stupid maneuvers. The rollover number was flat among passenger cars, up 7 percent in pickup trucks, and up 14 percent in vans.

On its site, NHTSA provides both a detailed overview and state-by-state and even county-by-county breakdowns. Here is a summary of 2005 vs. 2005 U.S. traffic fatality and accident statistics and some breakout stats.

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