A group of researchers from the Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center (IPC) looked at traffic data from post-pandemic and compared it to pre-pandemic numbers to come up with some interesting statistics that relate to New Haven auto accidents and those throughout the state.  There was good news in these numbers, but also some troubling news as well. Let’s start with the good news.  In the post-pandemic world miles traveled were reduced during the height of the stay-at-home orders by 40%.  The decrease in traffic volume led to an overall reduction in motor vehicle accidents and the average number of accidents that occurred daily.  These are good statistics to note, but they don’t tell the whole story. Researchers compared the same time frames in 2020 to those in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to draw some conclusions.  Here’s what they found: Single vehicle crashes doubled in 2020 Fatal single vehicle crashes quadrupled in Read the full article…

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are far too common these days.  There are many ways you can sustain a TBI which include things like getting into a New Haven auto accident, slipping and falling on the ice or a sidewalk, at work, and in many other ways.  These types of injuries can be serious and are often life threatening.  In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) traumatic brain injuries lead to over 150 deaths per DAY.  This is a staggering number. Unfortunately this number is not going down either, in fact it is going up and fast.  According to a study conducted by the CDC, brain injuries leading to hospitalization and even deaths increased between 2006 and 2014 by 53%.  This number resulted in 2.87 million emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths in 2014 only.  Of those 2.87 million cases, nearly 900,000 were in children. This type Read the full article…

There is good news to report as it relates to teen deaths from auto accidents, that number is down significantly.  This is something to be celebrated.  However, there are reasons for concern as fatalities from auto accidents overall are on the rise.  Teen drivers can be heavily influenced by their parents and therefore we should be setting good ground rules to help our kids avoid a New Haven auto accident. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) there are some things that parents can preemptively do to make sure their teens are safe drivers.  Some may be common sense, but others may slip through the cracks.  They are all good reminders of how to keep our kids safe on the roads. Start early.  While teen deaths from an auto accident are down, they remain the leading cause of death among people 15-18 years of age.  Conversations with your Read the full article…

As you set out on to the road this November and the weather gets colder and wetter into the winter months there are a few very simple things you should take note of on your car to make sure you avoid getting into a New Haven auto accident.   Taking these simple steps will help protect you and allow you to be the safest driver on the road. Whether you’re headed out for groceries, commuting to work, or visiting family over the holiday, these check-ups are good to do now so that you don’t have to worry about them and forget about them when you’re rushing out the door.  Fifteen minutes of checking these elements can save you months or years of hassle and injury.  Before you head out you should check the following on your vehicle; Your windshield: even the smallest cracks can lead to big problems when you’re driving Read the full article…

Earlier this month, Michael Riley, a 20-year-old Wallingford resident was driving along I-95 when his car rear-ended a tractor trailer truck that was slowing down at a construction site.  The crash resulted in a fatality. This untimely New Haven auto accident is a reminder of the dangers of driving along such a heavily trafficked section of road through the Elm City.  Tractor trailer trucks are a very common site along the Interstate, especially through the city of New Haven and congestion often leads to dangerous road conditions. Mr. Riley’s death is a reminder to all who are traveling along this stretch of the road and sharing it with tractor trailer trucks to follow some simple safety guidelines. Always keep a safe distance from any vehicle, but especially a tractor trailer as their braking distance is MUCH more significant then that of an automobile. Never pass a tractor trailer on the Read the full article…