Offers recommendations for alleviating the problem of substance-impaired driving, including reducing the blood alcohol concentration level for all drivers, conducting high-visibility enforcement of impaired driving laws, and incorporating passive alcohol sensing technology into enforcement efforts.  From the National Transportation Safety Board

Analyzes pedestrians killed by motor vehicles to determine characteristics of accidents and victims and to improve safety.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Discusses the dangers of driving and federal efforts to improve traffic safety.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Information and statistics on road safety from 182 countries  Reports there were 1.24 million traffic deaths per year.  From the World Health Organization

Reports that the trends in teenage driver deaths (16 and 17 year olds) were up in the first 6 months of the year compared to 2011.  Provides state-level details.  From the Governors Highway Safety Association

Lists conclusions and recommendations from a study (to be released soon) of accidents caused by drivers traveling the wrong way on high-speed divided highways.  Finds driver impairment, primarily from alcohol, as a major cause of such accidents.  From the National Transportation Safety Board

32,367 people were killed in U.S. motor vehicle traffic accidents in 2011, the lowest number since 1949.  Also provides fatality rate and injury rate trends over the years and such characteristics as crash type, crash location, use of seat belts, and involvement of alcohol.  From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

4,280 pedestrians were killed and some 70,000 injured in traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2010, an increase of 4% from 2009, but a decrease of 13% from 2001.  Also provides characteristics of accidents and victims, alcohol involvement, and state level data.   From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Compares death rates from traffic accidents in the 50 most populous metro areas to rates in the nation as a whole.  Finds widely varying rates in metro areas and calls for study of urban development patterns and how they affect accidents.   From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Covers the current status of all aspects of the transportation system in Hampton Roads including roadway usage, bridge conditions, traffic congestion, commuting characteristics, transit usage, road safety, highway funding, and more.  From the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization

In 2010 motorcyclists accounted for 1% of vehicle miles traveled but 14% of all traffic deaths.  This article examines traffic deaths for motorcyclists, the use of helmets, the existence of state laws requiring helmets, and the economic costs saved by states with universal helmet laws. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Provides a comprehensive statistical record of traffic crashes occurring in Virginia during 2011.  Covers injuries, fatalities, types of vehicles involved, alcohol involvement, and use of seat belts.  From the Virginia State Police

Presents performance measures for reducing traffic congestion and improving transportation safety in the Hampton Roads region.  Includes historical trend data for traffic accidents, fatalities, air quality, HOV usage, job and housing access to transit, commuting, freight movement and more.  From the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization

Find state-by-state statistics, comparisons, and rankings on traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries, passenger travel, freight volumes and values, distracted driving, energy and environment and more.  From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics

A compendium of statistics on U.S. transportation including safety, state of repair, economic competitiveness, and environmental sustainability.  From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Expresses concern that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had difficulty in investigating electronic throttle control systems , described as a relatively mature technology, when investigating Toyota vehicles, and calls upon the agency to improve its technical expertise to more effectively evaluate whether newer technologies pose unanticipated safety threats.  From the National Research Council

A statistical profile of transportation in the states and DC.  Covers transportation infrastructure, energy use, freight movement, system safety, passenger travel,  and transportation related economy, finance, and environment issues.  From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Press release on federal recommendation for nationwide ban on the use of personal electronic devices while driving following investigation of fatal traffic accident in Missouri involving trucks and a school bus that was caused by texting while driving.  From the National Transportation Safety Board

Reports the lowest number of fatalities from U.S. auto accidents since 1949.  32,885 people died in traffic accidents in 2010, a decline of nearly 3% from the previous year.  Also provides detailed characteristics about the types of crashes and state totals showing 2009 and 2010 data.  From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

This report describes the characteristics of the curbside business model for intercity bus transportation, describes the safety record of such carriers, and evaluates the adequacy of safety oversight.  From the National Transportation Safety Board

Analyzes traffic accidents in the Hampton Roads region by type of crashes, injuries and fatalities on a regional and jurisdictional level.  Also makes comparisons to state and national data.  From the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization

Press release which announces total estimated medical and work loss costs of traffic accidents involving fatalities in the year 2005, the most recent for which comprehensive data is available.  Includes links to estimated costs per state.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Estimates that 32,788 people died in motor vehicle traffic accidents in 2010, a decline of about 3% compared to 2009.  Officials expect the 2010 total to be the lowest fatality rate per miles traveled since record keeping began in 1949.   From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Reports that nearly 11,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2009 that involved alcohol-impaired drivers.  Urges the use of ignition interlocks by all convicted DWI  offenders, sobriety checkpoints, and enforcement of minimum legal drinking age at 21.  From the Centers for Disease Control  and Prevention

Press release on the results of the federal investigation into sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles.  With links to full text of report.   From the U.S. Department of Transportation

Claims of sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota automobiles led to this report  by federal engineers who could find no electronic causes  for the incidents and blamed them on sticking accelerator pedals or floor mats that entrapped the accelerator.  From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Reports that the percentage of adults who always wear seat belts when driving increased from 80% to 85% from 2002 to 2008.  Also provides statistics on rate of use in states with laws requiring seat belts.

More is known about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol than drugs.  This statistical report offers two tables on the percentages of fatally injured drivers who did or did not have drugs in their system at the time of the accident.  From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Argues that the U.S. is missing opportunities to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries and that the U.S. should adopt safety practices that have been successful in other countries.   Examines traffic safety program management practices, risk reduction techniques, and the sources of public and political support for safety interventions.  From the Transportation Research Board

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States.  This report presents the results of an analysis of trends of fatal accidents involving teens, and some of the characteristics of those fatal accidents.  Also provides state level data.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention