Washington – Overall transportation fatalities decreased by about 3 percent in 2010 despite fatality increases among medium and heavy truck, rail, pipeline, and other categories, according to data (.pdf file) from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Fatality data on roadway, rail, marine and aviation deaths from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security and NTSB indicated that fatalities declined to 34,925 in 2010 from 35,994 the previous year. Fatalities on U.S. roadways decreased by about 1,000, but fatalities related to motorcycles, trucks and buses saw increases in 2010.
The data also found:
- Recreational boating fatalities decreased to 672 in 2010, from 736 in 2009.
- General aviation fatalities decreased to 450 in 2010, from 478 in 2009.
- Overall railroad-related fatalities increased to 813 in 2010, from 742 in 2009.
A significant increase in pipeline fatalities (22, compared with 13 in 2009) was attributed to a deadly natural gas incident in San Bruno, CA, according to an NTSB press release.
