auto accident fatality statistics Tag Archives

Published on: July 16, 2024

Welcome Drop in Pedestrian Accident Wrongful Deaths in 2023

New data finds a drop of 5% in the number of pedestrians killed in auto accidents in the United States last year.

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently released new data that finds a 5.4% drop in the number of pedestrians being killed in auto accidents compared to the previous year. In 2023, a total of 7,318 pedestrians were killed in car accidents.

While the news of a drop in the number of deaths is encouraging, it is too early for celebration. The fact is that pedestrian accident numbers continue to remain stubbornly high. According to Governors Highway Safety Association data, the numbers in 2022 were a 14% increase over pre- pandemic numbers. Pedestrian deaths accounted for close to 18% of all auto accident deaths in 2022. Between 2010 and 2022, there was a shocking 77% increase in pedestrian accident wrongful deaths, and the increase in overall traffic accident deaths was just 22 percent during this time.

Published on: December 25, 2023

GHSA: Dip in Fatal Teen Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There is good news for teen motorists – a category of drivers that is traditionally one of the most at risk groups for car accidents. The Governors Highway Safety Association in a recent report announced that there has been a significant drop in the number of fatal car accidents involving young motorists.

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently released the findings of a new report titled Young Drivers and Traffic Fatalities: 20 Years of Progress on the Road to Zero. The report finds that there was a 38% drop in the number of fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers since 2002. During the same period of time, there was actually an increase of 8% in the number of fatal car accidents involving older drivers above the age of 21. There was also a significant 45% drop in the number of teen car accident wrongful deaths during the same period of time, compared to a spike of 11% in car accident deaths for older drivers above the age of 21. Traditionally, teenage drivers have had a car accident wrongful death rate that is four times higher than for drivers above the age of 21.

A number of factors could possibly have impacted this significant drop in fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers. The Governors Highway Safety Association makes note of the fact that teenage drivers are driving at lower volumes than they used to in 2002. The organization also believes that this has contributed to just a very small percentage of the staggering drop in fatal teen car accidents. The Governors Highway Safety Association believes that much of the drop has to do with the fact that so many states like Georgia now have solid Graduated Drivers’ Licensing programs in place. These programs place significant restrictions on a teenager’s ability to drive independently including restrictions on the ability to drive at night and drive with teenage passengers in the car. However, most of these Graduated Drivers’ Licensing programs apply to drivers below the age of 18, and the report recommends that states extend these programs to drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 in order to reduce those accident risks further.

Published on: June 22, 2023

NHTSA Predicts Drop in Auto Accident Fatalities During First Quarter of 2023

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

After 7 consecutive years of year- to -year increases in auto accident wrongful deaths, the federal administration has been recording slow, but perceptible drops in these numbers for four consecutive quarters. Latest estimates by the administration shows that the first quarter of 2023 has been no different.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its auto accident death projections for 2023. The estimates for the first quarter of 2023 show a 3% decline in the number of people killed in car accidents compared to the same period of time in 2022. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that a total of 9,330 people were killed in auto accidents in the first quarter of 2023. That was a drop from the 9,645 accident deaths recorded during the same period of time last year. The fatality rate for the first quarter of this year was 1.24 traffic accident deaths compared to 1.32 fatalities during the first quarter of last year.

The same trend could also be seen in Georgia where there was a drop in the number of people killed in auto accidents in the first quarter of 2023, compared to last year. During the first quarter of 2022, a total of 468 people were killed in car accidents in Georgia, and that number dropped to 410 fatalities this year. That was a significant 3.7% drop. The fatality rate in Georgia dropped from 1.62 fatalities in 2022 to 1.36 deaths this year.

Published on: November 30, 2022

Many of Nation’s Deadliest Roads Run Through Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new list of the most dangerous roads in the country includes at least three interstates that run through the state of Georgia. These highways are already very well known in the state for the large number of auto accidents that they see every year.

The list was compiled by Zebra car insurance company. The company used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System to identify the states and cities that are home to the most dangerous roads in the country based on the number of car accidents and fatal crashes that occur on these roads. The company specifically looked at the number of car accident deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Taking top position, to no one’s surprise is Interstate 95, a notoriously dangerous stretch of highway that has long been known for the large number of car accidents, including fatal auto accidents, that occur here. Interstate 95 has long held the title of the country’s most dangerous highway. According to data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, a total of 284 people were killed in car accidents on interstate 95. This highway has a fatality toll rate of 14.88 deaths for every 100,000 miles traveled. By any comparison, those are disturbing statistics.

Published on: January 7, 2021

Increase in Traffic Accident Deaths in Georgia in 2020

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Preliminary figures show that there was a significant increase in traffic accident facilities in Georgia in 2020, despite the pandemic and stay-at-home orders. In fact, according to the study, the numbers may be the highest on record since 2007.

The preliminary figures released by the Georgia Governor’s office of Highway Safety showed that there were 1,615 traffic accident deaths in the state of Georgia in 2020. That was the highest total on record since 2007, when there were 1,641 facilities recorded. It was also a significant increase from the figures in 2019 when the state recorded a total of 1,491 deaths in traffic accidents.

It’s important to remember that these are preliminary figures, and the total numbers are very likely to increase as the agency continues to confirm the number of traffic accident deaths across the state last year. The majority of accident deaths in 2020 occurred on state roads and highways.

Published on: September 29, 2020

Lower Car Accident Deaths during Pandemic? Think Again.

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The pandemic has required many to stay at home from work and school, leaving far few vehicles on the roads, However, contrary to expectations, the number of highway accident deaths in the United States actually increased significantly during the first half of 2020. This was in spite of the lower traffic volumes during the pandemic.

As the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading across the United States, many states including Georgia imposed shelter-in-place orders, discouraging travel, and shutting down businesses. This led to significant drops in traffic volumes from March right through June this year.

That should typically have resulted in lower accident death rates. This, however, has not happened. If anything, the highway fatality rate has actually increased. According to the National Safety Council, there has been a significant 20% increase in the number of highway accident deaths in the first 6 months of 2020, compared to the same period of time in 2019. This increase has occurred even in the face of lower traffic volumes, as a result of the pandemic. The highway accident death rate has increased even though there was a 17% drop in the number of miles travelled by American motorists in the first 6 months of 2020.

Published on: May 28, 2020

Red-Light Running Fatalities Reach 10-Year High

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Red light running fatalities in the U.S. have reached a 10-year high. In 2018, 846 people were killed and 139,000 injured in red light running crashes. Half of those fatalities included pedestrians, bicyclists, and people in other vehicles. In fact, drivers running red lights kill at least two people every day.

A red light violation occurs when a vehicle enters an intersection any time after the traffic signal turns red. In Georgia, this violation is generally considered a misdemeanor, and is punishable with fines as high as $1000. In addition to fines, penalty points can be added to the motorist’s driving record.

Although there is no typical violator profile, data from fatal red light crashes do show certain trends. Red light runners are more likely to be young or male. These drivers often have prior accidents, or they may have been convicted of alcohol-impaired driving in the past. Red light runners are also more likely to speed or be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. In addition, these drivers are less likely to have a valid driver’s license.

Published on: June 29, 2019

NSC Predicts Close to 600 Traffic Accident Fatalities This Fourth of July

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Fourth of July falls on a Thursday this year, which means most people will make it a long holiday weekend from work. The Fourth of July is not only one of the country’s most popular holiday weekends, but it’s also one of the most deadly. The holiday accounts for hundreds of deaths every year, and this year’s July Fourth is not expected to be any different.

The National Safety Council predicts that this Fourth of July weekend will be just as deadly as previous years, with an approximate 565 people expected to be killed in motor vehicle and other accidents. It also predicts around 64,000 injuries in accidents occurring over the holiday.

These predictions were made based on previous crash data. For instance in 2017, there were a total of 601 fatalities in traffic accidents over the holiday weekend. That was a significant 23 percent increase from the previous year. At least 39 percent of those accidents involved a drunk driver.

Published on: January 7, 2019

Traffic Fatalities Nationwide Show Downward Trend

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The DOT’s National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration recently announced some welcome news for motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists around the country – traffic accident fatalities for 2017 were down by 2 percent. This decline followed two prior years of large increases. The decline in fatalities also continued for the first half of 2018.

Overall, according to data from the Department of Transportation, a total of 37,133 people died in traffic accidents across the country in 2017. That was a decrease of 2 percent from the previous year. This was also in stark contrast to the 6.5 percent increase in fatalities from 2015 to 2016 and the 8.4 percent increase from 2014 to 2015. The trend also appears to have carried over into Georgia as total traffic deaths on Georgia roadways decreased in 2017 after two large years of increases in 2015 and 2016.

The data has more good news. It shows a 2 percent decrease in pedestrian fatalities. This was a traffic safety area that had been a huge source of concern for safety advocates because of the increase in pedestrian accident fatalities over the past several years. In 2017, federal authorities recorded the first decline in pedestrian accident fatalities since 2013, and that is welcome news indeed.

Published on: April 26, 2018

Is Climate Change Linked to Increasing Traffic Accident Deaths?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Climate change has been in the news for years now regarding its effects on weather related tragedies. From eroding coastlines, rising poverty levels and soaring temperatures -climate change is blamed for an entire range of global disasters. Every region on the globe, including Georgia, has seen dramatic shifts in its weather. However, could these changes in weather also be linked to increasing highway accident fatality numbers?

It appears that they could. Traffic safety experts have been trying to understand why road accident fatality numbers have been increasing since 2015, after several decades of a downward trend in fatality numbers. Earlier, safety experts focused on increasing rates of cell phone use by motorists as the leading factor causing this increase. However, they were later able to debunk that theory because there was no increase in smartphone use during the period of time that they studied. They then changed their focus to another possible factor-the weather.

Temperature increases are likely to be at least partly the reason why we are seeing an increase in the number of people dying in traffic accidents. Warmer weather simply means more people out on the road. People drive, walk, bicycle and ride their motorcycles more in warmer weather, than in wet or snowy weather. The experts found in their analysis that pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists – people who are much more likely to be out walking, riding or bicycling during warmer weather – accounted for a large percentage of traffic accident fatality fatalities during the study period.