Car Accident Fatalities In Maine And Across The Nation Down
Despite more distractions than ever for drivers on the road, car accident fatalities are declining. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the rate of driver fatalities is at the lowest it’s been since the government began tracking such data in the 1970’s.
The current recession is a contributing factor to the decrease in driver fatalities, as fewer miles are driven during a downward economic trend. Though despite the smaller number, adjusted figures show that the decrease in fatalities isn’t only because fewer people are on the road.
In the first quarter of 2009, for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled there was an estimated 1.1 deaths. By comparison, in 2005, a year in which over 43,000 people died on the roads, that number was 1.45. If current trends continue, it's foreseeable that fewer than 35,000 people will die on U.S. highways in 2009, a number no one could have imagined a decade ago.
Other contributing factors to the decreased number of driver fatalities include:
- An increased use of seatbelts due in part to the “Click it or Ticket” campaign.
- Fewer occurrences of drinking and driving thanks to national awareness campaigns.
- More cars now come with airbags, including side, head and torso protecting air bags.
- Electronic Stability Control and antilock brakes are increasingly more common.
- Increased highway safety such as rumble strips and barriers to prevent drivers from drifting across lanes.
- New driver distraction laws that make it illegal to be distracted while driving.
Locally, in Maine, the highest rate of driver fatalities in the last ten years was in 2002, when the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven was 1.5. In 2006, the most recent data available, that number dropped to 1.2. Today, safety regulators are closer to reaching their long term goal of 1.0, a number once said to be unachievable.
At the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein, we specialize in auto accidents and personal injury claims. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s neglect, call us today for a free and confidential consultation. With a staff of eight lawyers and nearly 50 legal professionals, the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein has helped over 15,000 Mainers get the justice they deserve.
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