Public health and traffic safety: a collaborative success
- Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Correspondence to: Dr Christine Branche, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop K-63, Atlanta, GA 30341–3724, USAcrb3{at}cdc.gov
In our original article, we showed graphically that deaths/100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the United States have been steadily decreasing since 1925.1 We also showed motor vehicle related death rates/100 000 population decreased from 1966 to 1999. This decrease in deaths/100 000 population illustrated the impressive declines that resulted from aggressive traffic safety and public health measures.1 Richter et al have taken issue with our assertion that motor vehicle safety represents a public health success launched in the 1960s. What we did not show in our original article was that before 1966, despite continuous decreases in the traffic safety indicator (deaths (D)/100 million VMT), the actual number of motor vehicle deaths increased 242% during the period 1925 through 1966 (from 21 900 to 53 041, respectively), and the death rate/100 000 population increased 42% (from 19.1 in 1925 to 27.1 in 1966). The measure used to set public health priorities and to compare health problems—deaths/100 000 population—increased both before and after World War II. From 1960 to 1966, deaths/100 000 population increased 28%, prompting federal legislation to curb the problem.2
Later, in response to a letter to the editor, we supported the observation that the Highway Safety Act of …
