Highway Accident Fatalities at Record Lows - Thank a Trial Lawyer
The numbers of deaths on American highways are at an all-time low, according to preliminary estimates from the Department Of Transportation.
The total numbers of fatalities in 2009 were an estimated 33,963. That is a drop of 9% from 2008, when the number of fatalities stood at 37,261. Those numbers have been declining every year since 2005, when an estimated 43,510 people were killed in highway accidents in the country.
The Department Of Transportation says that three key factors that have contributed to this dip in highway fatalities. These are:
· Widespread use of seat belts
· More advanced auto safety features in cars
· Declining numbers of drunk driving accidents
Seatbelt use in the country is at its highest point in years with national seat belt use at about 84%. Most states have mandatory seatbelt laws for drivers and front seat passengers, and 22 states have passed laws requiring seat belts for all occupants. Georgia’s seatbelt laws, however, exempt pickup truck drivers from having to buckle up. Obviously, we have a while to go before we can get to the 84 % national seatbelt use mark.
There's also no doubt that cars are much safer than before. Even with Toyota vehicles accelerating out of control, Americans are now safer in cars that come with side airbags, auto braking systems, and electronic stability control systems that prevent the car from rolling over. Cars did not become safer simply because the auto makers began to "care". Cars became safer after adverse publicity from lawsuits and verdicts caused sales to suffer. The auto industry then began marketing "safety" to the consumers.
According to Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood, there is more that needs to be done to bring those fatality numbers down further. Sec. LaHood has made distracted driving a big part of his efforts to bring down highway fatalities. His agency has set up a website dedicated solely to distracted driving, and he has lobbied for states to push their own laws against texting and use of cell phones while driving.
Jason Schultz is an Atlanta accident lawyer, helping injured victims of accidents including those caused by distracted driving, recover compensation for their injuries.
