Are our roads getting safer?

With the number of people on the roads greatly reduced over the past couple of years, reasonably, car accident fatalities surely have gone down, right? The unfortunate answer is no. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the first nine months of last year, the number of traffic fatalities actually spiked to historic levels.

The numbers

The NHTSA estimates that almost 32,000 people died in car crashes between January and September 2021. This was an increase of about 12% from 2020. This is the highest number of traffic fatalities since 2006, which recorded the highest fatality numbers ever recorded in the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history.

Behind the numbers

Behind just about every one of these fatalities is human negligence. Most, if not all, of these deaths could have been avoided, if only those negligent drivers chose to drive with due care. As such, the DOT is seeking to make the roadways safer to account for human fallibility to reduce the number of deaths that result from human negligence.

State by state

The increase in car crash fatalities was seen in at least 38 states, while two other states remained largely flat from 2020 into 2021. Ten states, including the District of Columbia, actually saw a decrease in the number or fatalities. For New York, New York, residents this is a reminder that our streets are just as dangerous as they have ever been. But, for those that were injured by the negligence of another, remember, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can help victims get justice.