Florida residents may be pleased to hear that the number of car crash-related fatalities went down for the second year in a row in 2019. However, the national rates are still alarmingly high. The National Safety Council estimates the number to have been 38,800: a 2% decline from the previous year and a 4% decrease from 2017, when 40,231 people died.
Both good and bad news for motorists
Likewise, the number of crash victims requiring medical attention declined 2% from 2018 to 2019, but it still came to some 4.4 million people. Also, the number of fatalities went up in some states: 35% in Maine, 32% in Wyoming and 20% in Delaware. The most dramatic improvements were seen in Vermont (31% decrease), New Hampshire (30%) and South Dakota and Washington, D.C. (21%).
Reasons for the downward trend
More new vehicles come with advanced driver-assistance systems, which can be said to contribute to the trend in crash fatalities. These systems include features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and blind-spot alert. Another possible factor is that many cities have embraced Vision Zero models for the improvement of traffic safety.
Individual drivers can do their part to improve safety. It starts with practicing defensive driving, avoiding drunk or drowsy driving and avoiding the phone and other distractions.
For the innocent victims of a car crash
If you were hurt in a motor vehicle crash, you may have suffered to such an extent that the losses you incurred cannot be covered by personal injury protection. In that case, you may file a third-party insurance claim. While this can be a difficult process, an attorney could assist with every step, including the gathering of evidence and the negotiation of a settlement. You may schedule a case evaluation to begin.