Deaths on Nevada highways in 2007 60 fewer than ’06

CARSON CITY -- Though she couldn't explain exactly why, state Transportation Director Susan Martinovich said Tuesday that 60 fewer people died in accidents on Nevada highways last year compared with 2006..

Martinovich told the state Transportation Board that 371 people died in accidents in 2007, a 14 percent drop from the 431 fatalities in 2006. It was the largest single-year percentage drop ever in Nevada.

Martinovich noted that 16 fatalities have been reported so far in January, a 43 percent decrease from the 28 killed in the same period of 2007.

While offering no conclusive reason why the death toll dropped so dramatically, she attributed it to a combination of factors, such as better police enforcement, more people wearing seat belts and citizens becoming aware of the dangers of drinking and driving.

Chuck Abbot, chief of the state Office of Traffic Safety, also could not give a conclusive reason why fatalities dropped so significantly.

"We just want whatever we are doing right to continue," he said.

Based on preliminary figures, the 2007 fatality rate of 13.1 per 100,000 residents was the lowest in state history.

Abbott said the fatality rate began to drop significantly in May. That also was about the beginning of the economic slowdown in the state, although Abbott did not know whether there was any connection with the drop in highway deaths.

His office received special funding last year allowing police to concentrate on stopping drunken drivers and began a "click it or ticket" campaign to induce more seat belt use.

About 92 percent of Nevadans wear seat belts, according to studies, although 48 percent of the fatalities in 2007 were people who did not wear them. That statistic alone should persuade people to buckle up, Abbott said.

Clark County experienced the biggest decrease in fatalities, with the number of deaths declining to 246 in 2007 from 282 in 2006.

Based on estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the reduction in fatalities will save the public about $71 million in medical and social costs.

Nevada used to rank among the top 10 states for its fatality rate, but Abbott is confident the state will move down that unenviable list.