Traffic Fatalities Increase During Pandemic

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death in the United States, causing 3 million injuries and killing over 35,000 people per year.

Even though Americans drove less in 2020 due to the pandemic, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) reports show that an estimated 38,680 people were tragically killed in motor vehicle accidents — the largest number of fatalities since 2007. This represents an increase of 7.2% as compared to the 36,096 fatalities reported in 2019.

Preliminary data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2020 decreased by about 430.2 billion miles, a 13.2% decrease. The fatality rate for 2020 was 1.37 fatalities per 100 million VMT, up from 1.11 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2019. NHTSA’s analysis shows that the main behaviors that drove this increase include: impaired driving, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt.

Preliminary finding show that traffic fatalities rose in most major categories over 2019:

• Passenger vehicle occupants (23,395, up 5%)
• Pedestrians (6,205, no change from 2019)
• Motorcyclists (5,015, up 9%)
• Pedalcyclists (people on bikes) (846, up 5%)

Crash factors and demographics reviewed by NHTSA that showed the largest increases in 2020 as compared to 2019 included:

• Occupant ejection (up 20%)
• Uunrestrained occupants of passenger vehicles (up 15%)
• Speed-related crashes (up 11%)
• On urban interstates (up 15%)
• On urban local/collector roads (up 12%)
• On rural local/collector roads (up 11%)
• During nighttime (up 11%)
• During the weekend (up 9%)
• In rollover crashes (up 9%)
• In single-vehicle crashes (up 9%)
• In alcohol involved crashes (up 9%)

Among other notable truck wreck cases, our Texas Car Wreck Attorneys recovered $8,750,000 from a large trucking company which was responsible for the deaths of a 67-year-old and a 19-year-old who were from Mexico.

If you were injured in a car accident or a loved one was tragically killed by a negligent trucker, distracted driver, or drunk driver it is important that you contact the experienced Texas Car Accident Attorneys who can advise you of your rights and help you seek the financial compensation you may deserve.

If You Were Injured In A Car Wreck Call the Texas Car Accident Attorneys of Miller Weisbrod, Attorneys At Law at 214.987.0005