A worldwide pandemic spreading throughout the United States represented a seismic shift in the most basic routines. With shelter-in-place orders enacted, people stayed at home. Suddenly, the roads were empty, but for a few vehicles traveling. Highways and freeways were not spared as the wide-open roads created dangerous driving temptations. Even illegal street racing saw a comeback.
Returning to a sense of normalcy
Dangerous driving habits resulted in significant upticks in COVID-era fatal accidents. Fast forward to 2022, fatalities started flattening, and drivers were more plentiful and traveling more miles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided their protections that revealed 42,795 vehicle-related deaths that year, a reduction of 0.3 percent when compared to 2021, again with more miles traveled.
For three straight quarters in 2022, fatalities declined following seven consecutive quarters that saw alarming increases in road-related deaths starting in the third quarter of 2020. When looking at 27 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico all saw reductions in fatalities in 2022 compared to 2021. However, a total of 23 states saw increases.
A focus on minimizing motor vehicle accidents
Also playing a role is the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), established at the beginning of 2022 to address what continues to be a national crisis in severe and fatal road-related injuries. Their Safe System Approach focuses on being “safer,” with categories that include roads, people, vehicles, speeds, and improved post-collision care.
Barring another international health crisis, safety on roads is on the increase. However, dangers still lurk around every bend and corner. Negligent driving continues to result in severe injuries and countless deaths, often requiring the pursuit of justice with the help of a personal injury attorney.
