Study: 2015 has brought spike in motor vehicle accidents
A recent study has called attention to the number of motor vehicle accidents across the nation. Unfortunately, the results of the study have safety experts worried that the nation is currently experiencing an epidemic of motor vehicle accidents.
What the study found
The study was conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce the number of accidents (motor vehicle related and otherwise). The NSC researchers found that between January and June of this year, about 2.2 million suffered serious injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, during the same time, 19,000 people died in these accidents. These statistics are worrying, because over the same six months last year, there were 14 percent fewer traffic accident deaths. Unless the number of accidents stops increasing, experts say that the nation is on track to have the highest accident rate since 2007.
NSC researchers believe the increase can be blamed simply on the increase of cars and other motor vehicles on the road. Why has this number climbed? Experts say that lower unemployment and low gas prices are the principle reasons.
How to protect yourself
Although it is true that as the number of vehicles on the road goes up, the more likely there are to be accidents, you can lessen your chances of being injured or killed in an accident by taking precautions. The NSC recommends that you do the following to stay safe on the roads:
• Wear a seatbelt. This is a simple but effective safety measure that can significantly reduce your risk of being injured or perishing in an accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wearing a seatbelt halves the risk of being seriously injured in an accident.
• Avoid being impaired. Although most impairment related accidents stem from the use of alcohol or drugs, driver fatigue is a significant type of impairment. It is estimated that drivers that are not well rested cause 100,000 accidents each year.
• Turn off the cellphone. Driver distraction, including cellphone use or texting while driving is a proven hazard. Research has shown that any visual-manual task performed while driving (including dialing a cellphone number or texting), increases the risk of an accident by threefold.
Get legal help
Aside from car and truck accidents, 2015 has been an especially deadly year for motorcyclists in Minnesota. According to the Department of Public Safety, the number of people killed in motorcycle accidents this year has already exceeded last year’s number.
Despite taking precautions, there is always a risk of you being in a motor vehicle accident. If this occurs, negligence of the other driver may be the cause. An experienced personal injury attorney can work to recover compensation from the negligent driver for the losses that you experienced because of the accident, such as lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.