Despite Pause in Coronavirus Phased Reopening, Puget Sound Traffic is Back
Anyone who lives in or visits the greater Seattle area knows that you’re likely to hit a traffic jam at one of several times throughout the day and sometimes, even into the night. This congestion increases the chance of getting into a car accident such as a rear-end accident, multi-vehicle accident or road-rage accident.
If you or a loved one was injured in a traffic accident, you may benefit from the legal help of a car accident attorney. The injury lawyer will assess your accident and injuries and discuss your legal rights during a free evaluation. If they take on your case, then they will fight to get you the settlement you deserve.
Puget Sound Traffic is Back
The southern end of western Washington between Everett and Olympia is known for heavy traffic and traffic jams. After the state-wide quarantine was announced, however, traffic dwindled for three months; reducing traffic jams and car accidents. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) created an interactive dashboard to show traffic data for any vehicles that crossed their traffic counter over a 24-hour period starting in March. It shows that as the state began its phased reopening and with summer break upon us, traffic was back up to almost normal levels in July.
The break in traffic was a welcome bonus during a difficult time. As reported by king5.com, the number of vehicles on Interstate 5 and other major freeways dropped by half, and up to 70 percent in some areas in March and April, as residents stayed home from work and school. Some have predicted that congestion will never return to the “old normal” because more employers will continue to allow workers to work from home but we now know that a dream for congestion free roads will not be a reality. On a bright note, the traffic jams now being experienced aren’t as slow as they were before so cars aren’t stuck in them as long. Overall, traffic is less predictable than it was pre-COVID because it isn’t all caused by commuters flooding the roods at certain times of the day like it was in the past.
If you are back out driving on a regular basis, you should be aware that traffic has largely come back. Any vehicle insurance breaks that you may have received in the last few months will likely be ending this month because of the increase in traffic. Be aware that people are stressed right now and that road rage could be a side-effect. Give other drivers plenty of space and pull over to let a tailing vehicle pass you. If you are able to continue working from home, that is the best way to avoid traffic during “rush-hour” and will give those workers who must commute some more space on the roads.
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
