Traffic Fatalities Are Increasing Faster Now Than Ever Before

Cars are smarter and safer than ever before, but traffic fatalities are increasing at a rate not seen in more than half a century. Data from the National Safety Council first revealed this disturbing trend last year, when an analysis of 2015 data showed a 7.2% increase in deaths from the previous year. Now, a new report on last year’s data shows that that increase wasn’t a fluke- it may have just been the tip of the iceberg.

By the numbers

In 2014, there were 32,744 traffic fatalities in America; in 2015, that number rose to 35,092, a fairly significant increase. In 2016, more than 40,000 Americans were killed in vehicle accidents. This increase isn’t someone else’s problem; a Chicago Tribune article from 2014 pegged the number of traffic accidents in Illinois per day at almost 800. More accidents mean more fatalities, a situation borne out by a whopping 26% increase in pedestrian fatalities in Chicago alone over the last two years.

More vehicles have hit the roads in the last few years thanks to a recovering economy and low gas prices, but that’s not enough to explain the reversal of a 50-year trend. So what gives? From NPR:

“One possibility can be seen during rush hour in downtown Chicago just by looking at both the drivers of the dozens of vehicles inching through traffic and the scores of pedestrians crossing the busy intersections. One thing many have in common is that their eyes are down, staring at their phones. ‘We are crazy distracted,’ says Melody Geraci, deputy executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance…  ‘After speeding and the failure to yield, distractions are the number three cause [of pedestrian fatalities], particularly by electronic devices.’ Drivers distracted by their devices are a well-documented, rising cause of traffic crashes, but there are a growing number of pedestrians, too, who can become oblivious to traffic around them.”

The root of the problem

Smart cars, onboard “infotainment” systems and driverless vehicles are already here, but the technology isn’t perfect yet. Talking through your vehicle’s sound system is certainly less distracting, but figuring out why your smartphone’s Bluetooth connection won’t work can turn a convenience into a fatality in an instant. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy answer yet; manufacturers are embracing different standards and different methods, meaning that not all products work flawlessly with each other all the time. These distractions are literally killing us.

A car accident can change your life in an instant; you or a loved one can suffer serious injuries resulting in lifelong disability or death. These consequences affect your entire family in every way. Reduced income can make the future uncertain, and medical treatment and continuing therapy can rack up staggering amounts of debt very quickly.

If you or your loved one was injured in a car accident, you have options. The experienced Chicago car accident attorneys at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers can evaluate your case and help get you the compensation you need. For a free consultation, call 312-600-9585 or contact us today.