In the last few years in the United States, traffic fatalities have been something of a roller coaster, at least when looking at statistics. The historical trend for fatalities has been a decline since about the 1970s. But the last few years saw a reversal, with a sharp increase in fatalities. They have now started declining once again.
The increase happened for a few different reasons. Distracted driving plays a major role. Drunk driving is also an issue. But one of the biggest problems is just speed and reckless driving. When traffic levels declined in 2020, that reduced traffic congestion and allowed people to drive more quickly. This is why, even though the traffic levels were lower and people were covering fewer miles, the number of fatal accidents went up.
Traffic congestion has returned
When you look at the historical numbers, the main reason for the decline in fatalities is just vehicle safety systems. Modern types of safety technology just didn’t exist 50 years ago. With the implementation of airbags, seatbelts, crumple zones and advanced sensors like lane departure warning systems or blind spot monitoring systems, fatalities have become less common.
But the big reason for the decline in recent years is likely just that traffic congestion is back. People are driving millions more miles annually. This slows everyone down because the roads are crowded. There may be more accidents due to these higher traffic levels, but they are less likely to be fatal because they are happening at lower speeds.
Of course, you could still suffer serious injuries if you get hit by a negligent driver. Take the time to look into your rights to seek compensation.