Do you ever check the local news and feel like car accidents are just getting to be incredibly common? Maybe you’ve even driven by some of these accidents on your daily commute.
The truth is that car accidents themselves are not necessarily happening more. In recent years, traffic levels have actually decreased and then increased again. But there was one trend that continued through both the decrease and the increase: Fatal accidents were happening more often. In fact, if you compare 2019 to the beginning of 2022, there was a staggering increase in deadly crashes of about 19%.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
One reason for the increase is actually because driving levels were down recently. One would assume that this would mean there would be fewer accidents and certainly fewer fatalities, but that’s not what happened. When driving levels were lower, it actually meant that people took advantage of these empty roads by driving faster. As there were more incidents where people were breaking the speed limit and causing accidents, the proportion of these accidents that were fatal also went up.
Additionally, researchers have noted other risky behaviors. People are driving more aggressively. They are using their seatbelts less often. They are driving while under the influence more than they were before. All of these risky behaviors are happening with greater frequency, and that has also led to this increase in deadly accidents.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Those who have been injured in these accidents or lost a loved one need to know how to seek financial compensation. This can help to cover the cost of medical bills, lost wages, and more.
