Are low income and minority households more likely to die from traffic related crashes?

An analysis of motor vehicle mortality is conducted using data from the Census Bureau's National Longitudinal Mortality Study for 1980, 1990, and 2000. The likelihood of being a motor vehicle crash fatality is compared to all other causes of death and not dying within the six year follow up period of the data. Using a multinomial logistic regression, mortality associations with the socioeconomics and demographics of individuals is examined. No association is found with a greater likelihood of being a motor vehicle mortality, based on family income, ethnicity, or race. Those living in rural areas, are unemployed or disabled, and residents of southern states are more likely to be a motor-vehicle fatality. These results conflict with those of many ecological studies that assume lower income neighborhoods (and their residents) are more likely to die due to motor-vehicle crashes.