IU Report: Car crashes dropped in 2009

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) - The number of traffic and fatal collisions in Indiana dropped in 2009. That’s according to a comprehensive analysis of crash data by an Indiana University research center.

While collisions dropped, Indiana Crash Facts 2009 shows that 46,590 people were injured in vehicle accidents in Indiana in 2009. The economic cost of these collisions in the state exceeded $4.3 billion for the year.

The report was produced by the Center for Criminal Justice Research, part of the Indiana University Public Policy Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The center collaborates with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to analyze data from the Automated Reporting Information Exchange System (ARIES) database maintained by the Indiana State Police.
 

Some traffic safety "quick facts" from the report include:

• 189,676 traffic collisions resulting in injury or property damage occurred in Indiana in 2009, a 7.7 percent decrease from 2008.
• There were 631 fatal collisions in 2009, a 12.6 percent decrease from 2008.
• 9.6 percent of all collisions were speed-related; 21.6 percent of fatal collisions were speed-related.
• 4.7 percent of all collisions were alcohol-related; 24.9 percent of fatal collisions were alcohol-related.
• 62 non-motorists were killed in collisions: 55 pedestrians and seven cyclists.
   

Indiana Crash Facts 2009 can be downloaded from the Center for Criminal Justice Research Website at http://www.policyinstitute.iu.edu/criminal/ .

The 180-page annual Crash Facts report includes nearly 100 tables, 35 charts and 21 maps providing detailed information on types and causes of crashes, characteristics of drivers, motorcycle accidents, and the role of speed and alcohol. It includes short-term and long-term goals such as reducing crashes, reducing fatalities, increasing seat-belt usage and improving safety for young drivers. And it provides county-by-county data on such factors as accident rates, fatalities, crashes involving young drivers, and vehicle-deer collisions.