Highway Fatality Rates Increase Despite Less Drivers on the Road

The National Safety Council has reported that, based on preliminary nationwide data from May, people traveling by roads had a higher risk of dying from a motor vehicle crash for the third month in a row. We previously wrote about this issue in May, and the trend of more dangerous driving has continued.

The fatality rate is a measure of deaths due to collisions per 100 million vehicle miles. The fatality rate includes deaths of drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, etc., and is a good indicator of dangerous driving. The number of miles driven in May 2020 decreased by 25.5% relative to May 2019. However, the number of deaths compared to the previous year only decreased by 8%. The May fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles was 1.19 in 2019, and in 2020 increased by 23.5% to 1.47. This drastic increase shows that even though there are less vehicles on the road, dangerous driving practices have increased, leading to more fatalities per vehicle.

Increased speeding and cell phone use are likely major contributors to the riskier roads. Cell phone laws vary by state, but laws in the DMV area ban handheld cellphone use in most situations.

The attorneys at Regan Zambri Long have devoted their practice to representing injured people, including victims of automobile collisions. If you or someone you know has been injured at the hands of a reckless driver, contact us today for a no-cost consultation.