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Transportation: Accidents Indicator Crash and injury rates in DuPage County are similar to those of other suburban areas, but DuPage has fewer fatalities.
ABOUT THE INDICATOR This indicator was selected to measure the relative safety of DuPage County’s transportation network. The charts show the number of traffic accidents and related injuries and fatalities that occurred in 2001 per million vehicle miles traveled. The information includes crashes involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and trains. Data for DuPage County are compared with data for other areas to provide insights about relative safety. Comparisons to areas outside of Cook County are specifically highlighted because Cook County dominates both state and regional statistics. Cook County vehicle miles are 32 percent of the state total and 59 percent of the regional total. OBSERVATIONS Traffic accident and injury rates in DuPage County are comparable to those in other Chicago collar counties, and below those for Cook County, the Chicago and suburban region, and the state of Illinois as a whole. In 2001, there were fewer than four crashes for every million miles traveled in DuPage County, and only one injury for every million miles. Traffic fatalities in DuPage are even more rare. DuPage County’s fatality rate is lower than that of every other area compared, and is less than half the rate for the collar counties. TAPESTRY DuPage County roads, while highly traveled, are safe. When accidents do occur, they tend to be minor, with relatively few serious injuries or deaths resulting. This contributes to a low incidence of death due to unintentional injury in DuPage, and helps keep the amount of time lost from work as a result of injury down, which is good for employers and for employees alike. Still, motor vehicle crashes do cause some fatalities—60 people died in traffic accidents in DuPage in 2001, as did 42 in 2000―and unintentional injuries remain the fourth leading cause of death. Moreover, individuals who die in traffic crashes are most often young adults or teens, which leads to a high number of years of potential life lost (YPLL). Although crash deaths have declined over the last ten years, more can be prevented through increased safety education and more stringent enforcement of DUI and seat belt laws. Accident rates can also affect household discretionary income because accidents often cause insurance rates to rise, leaving less income for general household spending, leisure activities, or donations. That, in turn, can affect the merchants, art or entertainment venues, charities, or other organizations that would have benefited from this discretionary spending. HOW TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE If you have an interest in getting involved, please feel free to contact:
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