Safety in numbers : using statistics to make the transportation system safer

BTS Productshttps://doi.org/10.21949/15014142002PDFProceedingsUnited States. Department of Transportation. Bureau of Transportation StatisticsUnited States. Department of Transportation. Bureau of Transportation StatisticsHighway safetyPedestrian safetyTransportation safetyRailroad safetyData collectionSafetyTransportationSafety measuresTraffic accidentsPreventionWe are all here today because there are too many people being killed as a result of transportation incidents. In 2000, there were more than 44,000 transportation-related deaths. That number is unacceptable and it makes the Safety Data Initiative a top priority. Working together, we must improve the quality of safety data so planners and decision makers can make more informed safety decisions. Informed decisions are more likely to lead to fewer deaths and injuries. We must gather safety data in a more consistent, systematic way from all modes of transportation. In some modes, operator error" is commonly assigned as the "cause" of an accident, without ever investigating why the operator made the error, and what can be one to prevent similar errors in the future.123