While I’m on the topic of critiquing news reports, here’s one from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA, pronounced “nitsa”).
Secretary Peters said that in 2007, the overall number of traffic fatalities fell to 41,059, the lowest number since 1994. In addition, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was 1.37, the lowest fatality rate on record, she noted.
That’s good news. When over 40,000 people die every year in traffic collisions, that’s big problem. But my nitpickiness was triggered by this:
“Thanks to safer vehicles, aggressive law enforcement and our efforts, countless families were spared the devastating news that a loved one was not coming home last year,” Secretary Peters said.
Countless? Really? I bet I could count them. After all, we have very good numbers.
For a prepared statement, I’m not happy with the verbiage. Government agencies should do better.
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