Traffic Fatality Statistics Shocking

State Patrol Inspector Scott Hlinak says some of the statistics on traffic fatalities across the county can be shocking. He uses them in part to teach recruits at the State Patrol Academy. The latest statistics are from 2016. He says, “2016, 37,461 died nationwide in traffic fatalities. I mean that is enough to almost fill Miller Park.  We do that every year and we have been doing that consistently for the last 15 or 16 years.” Hlinak tells us fatal alcohol-related crashes had been going down, but fatal drug-related crashes have been going up. He says, “Alcohol-related crashes there were approximately 10,000 of them in 2016 that is a 2.6 percentage increase. Another 11,000 were due to speed too fast for conditions. That number is up a couple of percentage points.” He also informs that every year for the last 20 to 25 years 2,000 children have been killed in traffic crashes nationwide.