Risk Factors for Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Deaths

Risk Factors

The five most important factors contributing to motor vehicle traffic crash injuries are not wearing a seat belt, drowsy driving, impaired driving (alcohol or drugs), aggressive driving, and distracted driving. Not using a safety belt or a child safety restraint while traveling in a motor vehicle greatly increases the chance of being injured or killed in a crash. When not using these safety devices, a person is more likely to be ejected from the vehicle. A person's driving ability is affected by a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) as low as .02%. The likelihood of a crash increases significantly over .05%. Twelve percent of fatal crashes in Utah involve alcohol-impaired drivers^1^. When alcohol is involved, crashes tend to be more severe. As blood alcohol levels increase, balance, coordination, and reasoning ability worsen. Additional information can be found at [https://highwaysafety.utah.gov/crash-data/utah-crash-summaries/].[[br]] [[br]] ---- 1. Utah Department of Public Safety, ''Utah Crash Summary 2016''