Despite a meager decline, traffic deaths remain alarmingly high.
The good news is fewer people died in crashes in 2022 than the previous year. The bad news is traffic deaths are still alarmingly high, according to crash data recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
From small distractions to outright erratic behavior, the Maine car accident attorneys at Jabar LaLiberty, LLC have seen it all. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in damages for crash victims and their families throughout Maine and surrounding states. To see how we can help you, contact us today.
How high were traffic deaths in 2022?
According to the NHTSA’s preliminary estimates, approximately 31,785 people died in traffic collisions on American roadways within the first nine months of 2022. While that accounted for 65 fewer deaths than the previous year, the 0.2% decline is hardly any significant progress.
Additionally, not all states experienced the same decline. For example, the NHTSA reported an increase in roadway deaths in 25 states. Only one state stayed unchanged, while 24 other states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, saw a decrease.
In 2020, we saw a 7.2% increase in traffic fatalities, despite a significant reduction of drivers on the road. Even more alarming is that roadway deaths increased by 10.5% in 2021 due to speeding, drunk driving, distraction, failure to wear a seatbelt, and other dangerous behaviors.
What are the specifics of traffic deaths in 2022?
Another NHTSA report covers the specifics of crash fatalities by sub-category. In addition, the report pulled crash data from the first half of 2022 and compared it with the same period from the previous year.
The most significant declines in traffic fatalities happened in these sub-categories:
- Children younger than 16 – 10%
- Urban collector and local roads – 10%
- Vehicle rollovers – 9%
- People ages 16 to 24 – 8%
- Passenger ejections – 7%
- Unbelted passenger vehicle occupants – 7%
- Speed-related crashes – 2%
The most significant increases occurred in:
- Rural interstates – 12%
- Truck crashes – 10%
- Crashes involving bicyclists – 8%
- Motorcycle crashes – 5%
- Crashes involving pedestrians – 2%
Who is most at risk for traffic deaths?
While we’ve seen a slight decline in motorist deaths, bicyclists and pedestrians continue to be the most at risk. A previous NHTSA report found that pedestrian deaths increased by more than 50% over the last decade, while motor vehicle fatalities decreased by 13%. This is due to several factors:
- Pedestrians don’t have the same protection as motorists.
- Many roadways and infrastructures don’t safely accommodate pedestrians.
- Drivers often fail to see pedestrians, especially at night.
Our Maine car accident attorneys will fight for you and your loved ones
Whether you’ve sustained injuries in a crash or lost a loved one, you could face many expenses. On top of that, you’re already dealing with the emotional toll, loss of income, and change in your quality of life.
You can’t count on the insurance companies to fully compensate you. They’re more concerned with protecting their bottom line. That’s where the legal team at Jabar LaLiberty, LLC comes in. We have been handling car accident and wrongful death cases throughout Maine since 1979.
Don’t get pressured into a lowball settlement from an insurance company. We’d be glad to go over the details of your crash and launch a thorough investigation. Our goal is to help you recover every dollar owed to you. In addition, our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t pay unless we win your case. Contact us for a free legal consultation.