In recent years, there has been an increase in fatal car accidents in the United States. Notably, fatalities moved up over 40,000 people per year in 2022, which represented a 22% increase from 2019. That’s a major change and it’s especially concerning because the previous trend was for a yearly reduction in fatalities.
So why are things getting more dangerous on the roads? Why are more fatal accidents happening? There are a few different factors to consider.
Distracted driving and risky driving
To begin with, many drivers are making dangerous decisions, such as using a cellphone and engaging in distracted driving. Others are intentionally taking risks, such as speeding or even racing on public streets.
Impaired driving
Driver impairment also continues to be a problem. Alcohol is the main cause of impairment, but there are also issues with prescription medications or illegal drugs and substances.
Changing traffic levels
Over the last few years, there have been some notable fluctuations in traffic levels. The population of the United States keeps increasing, which means that traffic levels are going up. But there were also reductions in traffic levels for a few years, especially when more people were beginning to work from home. Interestingly, this only led to an increase in fatal accidents, because it reduced traffic congestion and led to an overall increase in speed. Car accidents at higher speeds are more likely to be fatal.
It will be interesting to see if this trend continues in the years to come. Either way, those who have been injured or lost loved ones need to know how to seek financial compensation from the responsible party.