The Division of Traffic Safety in the Illinois Department of Transportation recently released their 1992 edition of "Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics." This is their latest annual summary of traffic accident data compiled for the State. These facts and statistics cover state, county, township and city roads. Much of the information contained in this report is encouraging when compared to similar statistics from earlier years. In 1991 and 1992 the number of individuals fatally injured in traffic accidents was lower than it had been since 1944; and the mileage fatality rate for 1992 was 1.6 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles — the lowest in history.

Motor vehicle registrations increased by 9.5 percent from 1983 to 1992 with an increase in the number of licensed drivers during this same period of 6 percent. However, in spite of these substantial increases in the number of motor vehicle registrations and licensed drivers, traffic accidents were 5.6 percent lower in 1992 than they were in 1983.

The risk of being in a traffic accident increases in direct proportion to the number of miles traveled. From 1983 through 1992, the number of vehicle miles traveled steadily increased by 30.2 percent. Yet, the number of fatalities per hundred million vehicle miles was 30.4 percent less in 1992 than in 1983.

Improvements in roadway engineering, enhanced enforcement and efforts to increase seat belt usage have all contributed to this reduction. More safety features on newer vehicles have also contributed to lower injury and fatality rates.

The use of safety belts by front seat vehicle occu pants in Illinois increased during recent years from a usage rate of 15.9 percent in 1985 to 67 percent in 1993. Belt usage more than doubled from the year preceding to the year following enactment of the Illinois Safety Belt Use Law which took effect on July 1, 1985.

Vehicle-train accidents are extremely dangerous because of the very high injury and fatality rate. "Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics" showed a steady decrease in total accidents from 390 in 1988 to 244 in 1992. However, combined fatal and injury accidents in 1992 were up slightly from 1991 to 1992 but lower than 1988 through 1990.

There were 356,201 urban traffic accidents and 54,779 rural traffic accidents reported in 1992. Sixty-two percent of the urban accidents occurred on city streets and roads and 44 percent of the rural accidents occurred on county and local roads. Likewise, 55 percent of urban injury and fatality accidents took place on city streets and roads while 46 percent of the rural injury and fatality accidents were on county and local roads.

While there has been a steady decrease in traffic accident rates in recent years, we must continue to maintain and improve the safety features built into our streets and highways. Our challenge lies in providing these safety features with limited funds and increased demands on our resources. •

April 1994 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 11