According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), 9,650 people died in motor vehicle accidents in the first 3 months of this year. This is a 7% increase over the year before. It is also the highest first quarter since 2002.
No doubt the ending of covid restrictions has contributed to these rising numbers as more people are out on the roads. People drove about 40 billion more miles in the first quarter than a year earlier, a 5.6% increase, the NHTSA said. But the rate of traffic deaths per 100 million miles traveled also increased during the quarter from 1.25 deaths to 1.27, according to the agency.
The question is why do these numbers continue to increase, and how do we help reduce these numbers. According to the NHTSA, a significant protion of the $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill will be dedicated to making the roads safer and accident prevention.
started running ads urging people to slow down and not to drive while impaired. On Wednesday, it announced the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign for Labor Day weekend, which focuses on preventing impaired driving and improving safety on the roads with local police for the weeks around the end-of-summer holiday.
The NHTSA has also launched a public education campaign to address speeding, which is called “one of America’s most dangerous driving behaviors.” The “Speeding Wrecks Lives” campaign, which aims to change general attitudes toward speeding and remind drivers of the deadly consequences.
I’m a little dubious of these Ad campaigns as they have been running these for years, yet the numbers continue to increase. I would like to see more resources and focus on distracted driving as well as impaired driving. Let’s hope the investment from the infrastructure bill works as we need to see these numbers turn around.
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago personal injury lawyers at the Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.