Impaired driving carries a high price-tag for businesses. The total estimated cost of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes was between 10 and 15 billion dollars. 2.2 Failure to Wear Safety Belts Many traffic fatalities could have been prevented by the victims themselves. Studies suggest that 40 to 55 percent of unbelted motor vehicle occupant fatalities and severe injuries could have been prevented if the victims had been wearing their safety belts 2.3 Speed Speed is another major contributor to motor vehicle crashes. Speed increases a vehicle s stopping distance and decreases reaction time, practically eliminating the driver s control of the vehicle and the situation.
Speed also increases crash forces and decreases the effectiveness of safety belts.
For these reasons, speed becomes a deadly component in a crash fatalities are much more likely to occur at higher speeds. Close to 7,000 pedestrians are killed each year in traffic crashes. These pedestrian crashes, often the result of alcohol use and speed, account for almost 15 percent of all annual traffic fatalities. The DOT is the primary federal agency involved in the regulation of fleet operations. An introduction to the DOT is included in the website.