Speed Management Strategic Initiative DOT HS 809 924

Appendix A - Scope of the Problem

Overall trends in speeding-related fatalities (Figures 1 and 2):

The number of speeding-related fatalities decreased continuously from 16,947 in 1986 to 12,592 in 1993. The number remained relatively constant until 2001 when the number of speeding-related fatalities started to increase again.

The relative proportion of speeding-related fatalities to the total fatalities shows an overall downward trend from the highest level of 37 percent in 1986 to the lowest level at 30 percent in 2000.

The upward trend since 2000 in total fatalities and the proportion of those that were speeding-related was reversed in 2003.


Figure 1: Trends in Speeding-Related Fatalities (Source: FARS 1983-2003)	Figure 2: Percent of Fatalities That Are Speeding-Related (Source: FARS 1982-2003)

By Road Type (Figures 3 and 4):

The number of speeding-related fatalities on local, collector, and arterial roads follows a trend similar to that of the overall speeding-related fatalities. The only exception is the trend of speeding-related fatalities on interstate freeways that peaked in 1998 and remained relatively constant since then.

In comparison, since 2000, there is a larger increase in speeding-related fatalities on local roads than on other types of roadways until 2003 when the trend was reversed.

The speeding-related fatality rate per mile of travel is more than three times higher on local roads than on interstate freeways.

The speeding-related fatality rate per mile of highway is highest on interstates.

Figure 3: Speeding-Related Fatalities by Roadway Function Class, 1983-2003 -- Interstate, Arterial, Collector, and local

Figure 3: Speeding-Related Fatalities by Roadway Function Class, 1983-2003
(Source: FARS 1983-2003)

Figure 4: Speeding-Related Fatalities Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled -- Interstate, Arterial, Collector, and Local

Figure 4: Speeding-Related Fatalities Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled
(Source: FARS 2002, Highway Statistics 2002)

Table 1. Speeding-Related Fatalities and Fatality Rates By Road Type (Source: FARS 2002, Highway Statistics 2002)
Road Type	Speeding Fatalities	Percent Speeding	Per 100 Million Miles Traveled	Per 100 Road Miles
Interstate	1,799	31%	0.26	3.9
Arterials	4,600	26%	0.39	1.2
Collector	3,272	36%	0.78	0.4
Local	3,385	40%	0.89	0.1

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