The Tennessee Department of Safety completed its first comprehensive approach at analyzing Tennessee auto accident data. This report gives a summary of traffic accidents, deaths and injuries that took place in Tennessee from 2003 through 2006. During that time period, urban traffic accidents increased by 15.4 percent, while rural traffic accidents decreased by 7.9 percent. However, the overall number of Tennessee traffic crashes increased by 6.1 percent.
One of the reasons given to explain the increase in urban traffic crashes was the growth in population. The state of Tennessee has seen a steady growth in population, especially in urban areas. Researchers noted that the number of Tennessee traffic accidents went up in proportion with the state’s population growth. From 2003 to 2006, the population has gone up by 3.4 percent and the number of licensed drivers has increased by 2.6 percent.
According to the agency’s report, there were 349,504 drivers involved in traffic crashes in 2003 and 374,790 in 2006. This number equates to an average of 486 crashes each day.
Based on the data provided by the Tennessee Department of Safety, there were 1,164 fatal crashes in 2006, which resulted in 1,284 deaths statewide. Preliminary data for 2007 showed 1,210 fatalities, making the fatality rate the lowest in the last 5 years.
Injury crashes in Tennessee grew by 12.3 percent from 2003 to 2006, with the total number of injury crashes in 2006 equaling 51,429. There were 6,683 incapacitating injuries caused by those 51,419 accidents.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Tennessee car accident, contact an experienced Nashville car accident lawyer at Phillip Miller & Associates at 800-337-HURT (4878) or 615-356-2000. We specialize in serious injury cases and can help you.
*Source: Tennessee Department of Safety Research and Planning Division Office of Research, Statistics, and Analysis November 2008: Volume 1
