1753-318X/asset/olbannerleft.gif?v=1&s=4c830cb073f7ad2350da0ce27b87be0f238b9e64)
1753-318X/asset/olbannerright.gif?v=1&s=cd4fa658ecdecaec43d447917cca8b184939858b)
Original Article
Vehicle-related flood deaths in the United States, 1995–2005
Article first published online: 12 MAR 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-318X.2012.01136.x
© 2012 The Authors Journal of Flood Risk Management © 2012 The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
Additional Information
How to Cite
Kellar, D.M.M. and Schmidlin, T.W. (2012), Vehicle-related flood deaths in the United States, 1995–2005. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 5: 153–163. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-318X.2012.01136.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 14 MAY 2012
- Article first published online: 12 MAR 2012
- Accepted manuscript online: 15 FEB 2012 09:14AM EST
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Floods;
- flood risk;
- mortality;
- natural disasters;
- vehicle
Abstract
Vehicle-related deaths comprise more than half of all flash flood fatalities in the United States. Using the publication Storm Data from the United States National Climatic Data Center, we found 555 vehicle-related flood deaths that occurred in 355 flooding events during 1995–2005. Males accounted for 60% of the deaths. The difference in death rates between the sexes was small at ages 19 and younger but males died at twice the rate of females for ages 40 and older. Elevated deaths rates were found for both males and females under age 5 and over 60. Flooding events classified as flash floods accounted for most of the fatalities. Vehicle-related flood deaths were concentrated in the Texas Hill Country, the desert Southwest, the Ohio River Valley, and eastern North Carolina.