NHTSA: Traffic Fatalities Show Slight Decrease in 2022 after Big Increases during Pandemic
In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSAs) latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, we see a slight decrease in traffic fatalities after two years of dramatic increases during the Covid pandemic. Estimates indicate that 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of the year, which is a 0.2% decrease when compared to the 31,850 estimated fatalities during the first nine months of 2021.
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Hit and Run Accidents Increase Accident Challenges
Thousands of hit and run accidents happen in the United States every day. In 2015 alone, there were an estimated 737,100 hit-and-run crashes (NHTSA, 2016). A hit and run accident is when one or both drivers involved in a motor vehicle accident flees the scene before offering any (or enough) information or help to the other involved people involved in the crash.
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Whatcom County Rollover Crash Leaves 5 Injured
A rollover crash is when a vehicle crashes into something and then rolls over at least once before coming to a stop. Rollover crashes have a very high fatality rate compared to other types of crashes. Supported by data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are six main factors that contribute to the risk of vehicle rollover accidents. These are:
- The type of vehicle (SUVs and vans are more susceptible)
- Driving on rural roads (because they lack clear divisions and barriers that reduce the risk)
- Driving while intoxicated
- Driving at high speeds
- Routine driving
- Single-vehicle crashes
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What is Negligent Driving 2nd Degree Washington State?
Driver errors and negligent driving behaviors are responsible for 94 percent of all motor vehicle accidents in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In Washington State law, a person is guilty of negligent driving when they fail to use reasonable care while operating a vehicle that could lead to personal injuries and damages to another person or property.
If you were injured by a negligent driver, seek the help of an experienced local car accident lawyer.
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Speeding Increases Risk of Deadly Crashes
Speeding increases the risk of deadly crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers a crash to be speeding-related if any driver involved in the crash was charged with a speeding-related offense or if a police officer indicates in their accident report that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the collision. A speeding-related fatality is any death that occurs in a speeding-related crash – including drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.
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Washington Ranked Second Worst State to Drive in WalletHub’s 2023 Report
Driving in heavy traffic is no fun. Whether you’re stuck because of rush hour or a car accident, it’s a recipe for frustration. Anyone who has driven in Seattle knows how crowded and slow driving in Washington State’s largest city can be. Apart from traffic levels, there are other factors that go into whether a state is good to drive in, including the cost of car insurance, weather, condition of the roads, population density, property crime, and rural versus urban makeup. These factors affect road safety and traffic accident rates, commute times, and affordability. Each year, WalletHub takes these factors into consideration to rank all 50 states from the best to the worst for drivers.
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Top 5 Common Causes of Car Accidents
Almost 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021, the highest number recorded in 16 years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While motor vehicle accidents have decreased since 2020, traffic fatalities have risen due to an increase in negligent driving behaviors such as drunk-driving, speeding, talking or texting while driving, and driving too fast in dangerous weather conditions. By learning about the most common causes of car accidents, we can avoid these behaviors and reduce our risk of being involved in a collision.
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Why Aggressive Driving Increases the Risk of Car Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says aggressive driving has occurred when “an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offences so as to endanger other persons or property.” Moving traffic offenses are driving offenses committed while a vehicle is moving. Racing, hit-and-run, and failure to yield the right-of-way are all examples of moving traffic offenses in Washington State. Aggressive driving increases the risk of car accidents because it leads to behaviors that don’t take the safety of others on the road into consideration.
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8 Lesser-Known Causes of Car Accidents
We know that drunk driving, distracted driving, and speeding are three common causes of accidents. Many public messaging campaigns have been done over the years to help prevent these dangerous driving behaviors. In this article, we’re going to share some of the lesser-known causes of car accidents because it’s important to keep them in mind too if you want to reduce your chances of being in a motor vehicle crash.
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligent behavior of another driver, contact a local car accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights and possible next steps.
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Fatal Hit and Run Crash in Bellingham Leads to Arrest
A hit and run adds to the stress and trauma of a car accident, especially when someone is seriously injured or killed in the collision such as a fatal hit and run crash. When the person who may be responsible for the crash flees the scene without exchanging information with the other driver or staying to talk to first responders, there is a legitimate fear that the driver may not be held responsible for the accident and injuries they caused.
As car accident lawyers, we have seen an increase in hit and run accidents since 2020. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), deaths in hit-and-run crashes jumped by 26 percent in 2020. If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a hit and run crash, contact a Bellingham car accident lawyer for help.