These Factors Are Major Contributors To The Rise In New Haven Auto Accident Deaths

Since the start of the global pandemic traffic deaths have been on the rise in the United States. In fact, in the second half of 2020 all the way through the end of 2022 and into 2023 deaths from auto accidents have been alarmingly high. This trend has been seen nationally and locally as New Haven auto accident deaths are also on the rise in an alarming way.

On the national level, since the end of 2019 there has been an increase of nearly 6,000 auto accident fatalities per year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2022 there were 42,795 lives lost in auto accidents. Studies have shown that this rise began at the end of 2020 and has continued long after roads returned to normal traffic patterns. Why is this?

Safety experts have pointed to a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in auto accident deaths over the last few years. In the early days of the pandemic there was a lack of a police presence on roads and with lower then normal traffic volume there was a sense of casualness by those who were on the road that led to more fatal accidents. Since traffic volumes have returned to normal in the last few years, some of these behaviors have been hard for drivers to shake. Carelessness though, is not the only contributing factor to the increase in fatalities. Some of the other contributing factors include;

1.) In 2022, it was reported by LexisNexis’ 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Trends Report that there was an increase of nearly 20% of major speeding violations on U.S. roads. Excessive speed is one of the deadliest factors when auto accidents occur. The faster a vehicle is traveling the more likely an incident is to be more severe and even lead to death. This one contributing factor is of major concern to safety officials.

2.) Studies have also found that in recent years fewer and fewer people are wearing seat belts which is another major contributing factor to the chances of death resulting from an auto accident. Seat belt wearing has historically over the last few years been at an all time high, but these numbers are declining in recent years. Safety officials believe this decline in seat belt wearing is a direct result of the carelessness that has been plaguing drivers in recent years since the pandemic.

3.) Drunk driving is also on the rise since the pandemic and safety experts report that this is a main reason why there are more traffic fatalities on U.S. roads. Being drunk behind the wheel is a dangerous and potentially fatal state to be in, but combine that with excessive speed and less seat belt wearing and you have a recipe for disaster.

These three driver behaviors are all contributing to the rise of auto accident deaths in the U.S., but there is also one, non-driver behavior that is contributing as well. The rise in sales of SUVs and trucks is happening at a staggering rate in the U.S. as nearly 80% of all car sales last year alone were SUVs and trucks. That means that these vehicles that are on the road are larger and heavier so when they make an impact in a New Haven auto accident they are more likely to cause greater damage and may lead to a fatality.

If you or a loved one are injured in an auto accident you may need someone to represent you in fighting for your long-term needs. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys who may have seen a situation similar to yours can speak with you about the details of your experience.