FACT: One out of four 16-year old drivers will have a crash in the first year of driving.

FACT:  Distractions within the car are the leading cause of minor accidents.

FACT: In the year 2004 there were 42,636 persons killed in motor vehicle crashes.  In fact, death and injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes is still the leading cause of death for persons of every age from 3 through 33 years old.

FACT:  Number of police reported crashes in the U.S. in 2004 was 6,181,000.  Persons injured 2,788,000.  These #'s represent a decline in deaths and injuries largely due to seat belt usage being at 71%  (Seat belts do save lives).

FACT:  The National Traffic Safety Administration estimates that approximately 40% of all traffic crashes are related to alcohol.
 

FACT: In 2000, there were 529 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities among children under 5 year of age.  Of these 529 fatalities, an estimated 251 (or 47%) were totally unrestrained.

FACT: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes cost the nation over $150 billion annually including property damage, medical costs and lost productivity.

FACT: On the basis of current population trends, there will be 23% more 16-20 year old drivers on the road in 2010 than there are today--26.1 million.

FACT: The 16 year old population alone will increase from 3.5 million to over 4 million by 2010.

FACT: There is no in-car driver training in the high school systems in 25 states. There is no driver ed. at all in another 7 states. (Advanced Car Control Techniques (ACT) Research)

FACT: In the overwhelming majority of states, a driver's license is issued to a 16 year old with no official ever having seen the teenager drive a car. (ACT Research)

Texas Statistics- 2001

Texas is #2 behind California in Motor Vehicle fatalities

Number of fatal crashes: 3,319

Persons killed: 3,739

Injuries: 340,554

46% of persons killed were not wearing safety belts

Pedestrian fatalities totaled 419

Bicycle fatalities totaled 47

Total # of collisions reported: 323,958

According to the Texas Dept. of Public Safety: 1 person is killed every 2 hours and 34 minutes and 1 person injured every 1 minute and 54 seconds

26.8% of all fatal crashes are related to alcohol

DWI collisions: 25,142 persons

Alcohol related deaths:  1,005 persons

1 person is killed every 9 hours and 11 minutes in Texas due to alcohol related crashes.