Highway Safety
Between 2004 and 2008 an average of 146 people were killed each year in crashes on New Hampshire’s roads. Improving geometric deficiencies on New Hampshire’s roads and highways would likely result in a decrease in traffic fatalities in the state. Roadway design is an important factor in approximately one-third of fatal and serious traffic accidents.
- A total of 732 people were killed in New Hampshire in traffic accidents from 2004 to 2008, an average of 146 fatalities per year.
- In 2008, New Hampshire had a traffic fatality rate of 1.07 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
- Where appropriate, highway improvements such as removing or shielding obstacles, adding or improving medians, adding rumble strips, widening lanes, widening and paving shoulders, upgrading road pavement, realigning curves, adjusting grades, and installing better road markings and modernizing intersections can reduce traffic fatalities and accidents while improving traffic flow to help relieve congestion.
- The Federal Highway Administration has found that every $100 million spent on needed highway safety improvements will result in 145 fewer traffic fatalities over a 10-year period.
Despite the current economic downturn, population increases and economic growth in the Granite State over the past two decades have resulted in increased demands on the state’s roads and highways.
- New Hampshire’s population increased 19 percent from 1990 to 2008, from 1.1 million in 1990 to 1.3 million residents in 2008. New Hampshire’s population is expected to increase to 1.5 million residents by 2025, an increase of 36 percent.
- Vehicle travel on New Hampshire’s major highways increased 32 percent between 1990 and 2008, rising from 9.8 billion vehicle miles traveled in 1990 to 13 billion vehicle miles traveled in 2008.
- Vehicle travel in the state is expected to increase by 30 percent by 2025.
- In 2008, 51 percent of the state’s urban highways carried traffic volumes likely to result in significant rush hour delays. Highways that carry high levels of traffic are also more vulnerable to experiencing lengthy traffic delays as a result of traffic accidents or other incidents.
