According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,398 traffic fatalities occurred in Texas in 2012, an increase of 11 percent from the previous year. Nationally, 33,561 died on 2012 roadways in total, representing an increase of 3.3 percent since 2011. Previously, automobile death rates were on their sixth year of decline in a row.

According to officials, a number of factors contributed to the increase. Officials noted that even when overall traffic fatalities were decreasing in recent years, motorcycle and pedestrian deaths were following an upward trend. That pattern continued in 2012: fatalities of motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians rose 7.1 percent, 6.5 percent and 6.4 percent respectively.

One factor that may have played a role is warm winter weather. Much of the increase can be attributed to the first quarter of 2012, the warmest first quarter in history. Although snowy, icy conditions are associated with traffic accidents, there are actually more car crashes during warmer winters when more people are on the road.

In addition to the increase in the raw number of fatalities, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) also increased. That rate climbed to 1.14 (an increase of 3.6 percent). The injury rate rose to 80 injuries per 100 million VMT (a 6.7 percent increase).

Also in 2012, alcohol-impaired-driving deaths rose by 4.6 percent, accounting for 31 percent of the total number of highway fatalities. Alcohol-impaired-driving deaths are defined as the fatalities in a crash involving a driver found to have a blood alcohol content of .08 g/dL or greater.

Young drivers, traditionally thought to pose major risks, were actually involved in fewer highway deaths last year, continuing a decline that began in 2005.

The 11 percent increase in Texan traffic deaths represents 344 more fatalities than were suffered in 2011. Texas’s increase was the largest in the nation. Texas also saw the largest number of highway deaths (3,398) among states. California faced only 2,857 highway fatalities and is home to 12 million more people than Texas is.

The 344-person Texan increase in traffic fatalities totaled more than the increases in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina combined.

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The good news is that auto accident fatalities are still well below the recent highs recorded in 2005. That year, there were 43,510 deaths on American roads. This year’s figures represent the first statistically significant increase since 1995.

In addition to these fatality totals, auto accident fatalities can also be usefully measured as a rate per miles traveled. After all, if the total number of miles traveled rises or falls, one would expect the number of injuries and deaths to move in the same direction. It turns out that the fatality rate rose by nearly the same percentage as the overall number of deaths. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) rose from 1.10 to 1.14 — an increase of 3.6 percent. The injury rate rose somewhat more steeply, from 75 to 80 per 100 million VMT — an increase of 6.7 percent.

The report noted that no one particular factor accounted for a large portion of the increase in deaths. In fact, crashes associated with some high-risk factors decreased in 2012. For instance, fatal crashes involving young drivers have continued to decline, as they have since 2005.

However, fatalities among motorcyclists, pedestrians and pedalcyclists increased at rates slightly higher than those of the overall 3.3 percent fatality increase. Motorcyclist deaths increased by 7.1 percent, pedestrian deaths by 6.4 percent and pedalcyclist deaths by 6.5 percent.

Fatalities involving alcohol-impaired driving increased by 4.6 percent in 2012. Particularly notable is the fact that crashes in which one or more drivers were legally intoxicated account for nearly one third of total deaths on the road. When one considers that the vast majority of drivers never drive drunk, and even those who do engage in such reckless behavior tend not to do so very often, it is plain to see that drunk drivers die (and cause deaths) at an astronomically higher rate than sober drivers.

Although an increase in fatal accidents is discouraging, the NHTSA report must be viewed in a larger context. Deadly crashes have fallen at a significant rate for several years. The nation continues to make headway in road safety. When the statistics for 2013 and beyond begin to be tallied, we may very well learn that last year’s numbers were simply an anomaly in a long downtrend.

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The NHTSA estimates that 34,080 people died in auto accidents on U.S. roads in 2012. If that estimate holds true, it represents an increase of about 5.3 percent over 2011 fatalities, which numbered 32,367. What many do not realize is that the U.S. has enjoyed a decrease in traffic fatalities each year since 2005, when the figure was 43,510. Last year will therefore likely mark a break in a strong and very positive trend in safety.

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased by 0.3 percent to 9.1 billion and therefore only account for a small portion of the increase. The estimated fatality rate per VMT for 2012 is 1.16 per 100 million VMT, up from 1.10 in 2011. In plain English, this means that U.S. drivers are driving slightly more, but dying at a higher rate for every mile spent behind the wheel. Like the total number of fatalities, the fatality rate declined each year from 2005 to 2011.

The number of miles driven varies throughout the year. People drive more during the summer and holidays. The hazards of the road vary as well – more accidents occur during rainy and snowy months. Therefore, it is useful to compare accidents from a given quarter of one year with the same quarter from the previous year. The NHTSA report illustrates the strength of the earlier downtrend in traffic fatalities by showing that from 2006 to 2010, there were 17 consecutive quarters that showed a year-over-year decline. That is the single longest unbroken downtrend since the agency began compiling auto accident statistics in 1976.

Although any increase in traffic deaths is disheartening, this report should be taken in context. Deadly accidents have fallen steeply over the past several years. The U.S. is making significant strides in road safety. Hopefully, 2012 statistics will turn out to be an anomaly and fatal auto accidents will continue their longer-term downtrend in 2013 and beyond.

Alston & Baker, an Affiliation of Professional Associations: The Law Office of Robert C. Alston, Esq., P.A. and The Law Office of Marcie L. Baker, Esq., P.A. To contact a personal injury lawyer call 1.888.500.5245 or visit http://www.alstonbakerlaw.com.