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Arkansas Profile
Traffic crashes
take an enormous toll on Arkansas's economy and more importantly on
the health and lives of Arkansans. According to data from the
Highway Safety Office of the Arkansas State Police:
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Every day in
Arkansas, on average two people die in traffic crashes.
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The overall
economic impact of traffic crashes in Arkansas was estimated to
be $1.965 billion in 2000.
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Less than 2
out of 3 Arkansans routinely use their safety belts.
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Arkansas had
the 3rd highest traffic fatality rate (per 100 million vehicle
miles traveled) in the country in 2004. That year, 25.6 of
every 100,000 Arkansans died in traffic crashes.
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The observed
restraint use in Arkansas was 68 percent in 2005 and only 32
percent of those fatally injured in passenger vehicles were
restrained that year.
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Arkansas's
rate of traffic fatalities in 2004 was 25.6 per 100,000
population, which was 1.8 times higher than national average
(14.6/100,000) and 3.4 times higher than the state with the
lowest rate at 7.4/100,000.
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According to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if Arkansas
converted to a primary safety belt law, the state could expect a
12 percentage point gain in safety belt use, which over one year
would:
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prevent
50 fatalities.
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prevent
530 serious nonfatal injuries.
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save $104
million in economic costs.
Resources:
Hospital Costs and Safety Belt
Use in Arkansas
Traffic Crash
Statistics Reported By Highway Safety Office of the Arkansas State
Police:
http://www.asp.arkansas.gov/hso/hso_index.html
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