Accidents in the U.S. and Europe: 1970-1980

This study compares certain demographic and accident characteristics among Western European countries and between Western Europe and the United States. The specific objectives of the study were to: Identify various changes in fatalities and fatality rates experienced by each of eleven Western European Countries, by these countries as a whole, and by the United States from 1970 through 1980, with special attention given to the energy crisis and its aftermath from 1974 through 1980. Determine whether there were statistically significant changes during the 1970-1980 time period in the traffic accident characteristics studied. The findings of this study are as follows: During the decade studied, Western Europe as a whole experienced a fatality rate reduction per 10(9) vehicle-kilometers traveled of 45.8% while the U.S. experienced a 29.1% reduction during this same period. In Western Europe the age groups 0-14, 25-64 and over 64 and its road user groups pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists and moped riders showed statistically significant improvements in the characteristics studied. The only U.S. group to experience a significant reduction in fatalities during this period was the age group 0-14; however the 1980 fatality rate per 10(9) vehicle-kilometers of travel of 21.0 for the U.S., versus 34.8 for Western Europe, indicates that driving in the U.S. is still much safer.