Weekend of Living Dangerously? : Not if national trends, which show traffic fatalities down, hold up

Newly released federal projections show that traffic-related fatalities across the nation will decline to a historic low in 1992, continuing a downward trend that began five years ago. The news is even better here in car-addicted, drive-everywhere California, where the death toll is running about 11% below national levels.

According to estimates by the National Highway Safety Adminstration, 39,500 will have died in motor vehicles accidents in 1992--a 5% decline from 1991 and a phenomenal 25% drop since 1980.

Progress is clearly attributable to improved automobile safety standards and passage of tough new state laws aimed at encouraging seat belt use while discouraging driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs through increased fines and jail time.

Indeed, surveys show that seat belt use is up; 62% nationwide and 70% of Californians now buckle up before they drive. And alcohol-related fatalities are down significantly--about 57% from a decade ago. But for those who need further incentive, effective Jan. 1, failure to wear a seat belt in California became a direct, rather than a secondary, violation--punishable by a $56 fine for a first offense and a $140 fine for a second. In short, that means you can be pulled over solely for not wearing your seat belt. Call it tough love, but it works and it saves American taxpayers millions of dollars annually. And, thanks to tougher enforcement of these types of laws, today’s streets are certainly safer by comparison.

But, as always, the rubric still applies: Buckle up and drive safely.

Declining Deaths Total number of motor vehicle deaths in U.S. in thousands. 1970: 54.6 ‘80: 53.3 ‘85: 45.9 ‘90: 46.3 ‘92: 39.5 Source: National Safety Council