2011 traffic deaths a record low
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/08/us-autos-deaths-idUSBRE84618920120508

First line:
Traffic fatalities on roads in 2011 fell to their lowest level since federal safety regulators started counting in 1949, the regulators said on Monday.

That's good news.

U.S. drivers drove 1.2 percent fewer miles in 2011, NHTSA said.

Ok, so that likely accounts for the drop.

Rebecca Lindland, director of automotive research for IHS Inc, said more and better air bags, higher seat-belt use and vehicles designed to allow people to survive a crash are the main reasons for the decline in traffic deaths in recent years.

Oh? Well maybe the lessened driving wasn't significant.

The rate of fatalities per 100 million miles driven in the United States last year was 1.09, down from 1.11 in 2010

Now wait a second, a .02 drop is 1.8%. If we drove 1.2% fewer miles shouldn't that be the main reason?

Last year, the only U.S. region to have an increase in traffic deaths was California, Arizona and Hawaii, where fatalities rose 3.3 percent, NHTSA said.

Now hold on. Does this mean that CA, AZ and HI don't have better air bags, high seat-belt use and vehicles designed to allow people to survive a crash?

Now for good measure let's get in some "evil" cellphone bashing.

NHTSA did not provide information on distracted driving deaths last year. But, in 2010, it said that some 3,092 were killed in "distracted-affected crashes," which was 9.4 percent of overall road fatalities that year.

From NHTSA : Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include: Texting, Using a cell phone or smartphone, Eating and drinking, Talking to passengers, Grooming, Reading, including maps, Using a navigation system, Watching a video, Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html

Since the NHTSA site mentions 9 different types of distractions we're going to just focus laser-like on the current "evil" buzzworthy topic of the cell phone.

Thirty-seven of the 50 U.S. states have totally banned using the keyboard -- texting -- on a mobile phone or other device while driving, and 10 states have outlawed the use of handheld phones.

Ok, so clearly those 10 states should show the most reduced fatalities, yes?

The states, along with the District of Columbia, that have banned phone calls while driving -- without using a hands-free device -- are California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York and Connecticut.

But, California is in the region that has increased fatalities.

I'm confused. ;)

Have a great Memorial Day weekend all!