One good result coming out of the pandemic is our freeways are open and clear of traffic. Even during rush hour, there is rarely stop-and-go traffic. Because of fewer automobiles on the road, the amount of car accidents has gone down. Auto insurance carriers are giving refunds to drivers, which is unheard of.
On the other hand, one of the unfortunate things that is happening is when a traffic collision does occur, the damage to the automobile is worse and injuries incurred by the occupants of the cars are more severe.
Normally, the chance that you will die or be seriously injured in a car crash on any given day is small. However due to excessive speed caused by unjammed freeways during the pandemic, that chance is increased. Until it was surpassed by drug overdoses, motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of accidental deaths. It is now the number two cause of accidental deaths in America. Approximately 45,000 deaths and 2.7 million injuries occur each year. Of those injuries, 2 million are permanent in nature. California has 3,650 deaths each year from auto accidents.
But the fact is most crashes aren’t accidents—they could have been prevented. You can’t control the way other motorists drive, but you can lower the chances that you’ll be involved in a car crash by avoiding certain types of high-risk driving behavior. This will apply to your driving, even when this pandemic is over.
Speeding, drowsy driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving are viewed as among the most dangerous. I have seen speeds during the pandemic well over 80 miles per hour on local freeways. Normally speeding is the single biggest cause of traffic fatalities. Driving too fast reduces your ability to steer safely, it extends your stopping distance, and can prevent you from reacting quickly enough to avoid a crash. A vehicle’s crash impact increases exponentially with its speed. For instance, driving 60 mph versus 50 mph increases a vehicle’s impact by 44 percent.
Driving is our most dangerous regular activity. We can decide to cut our crash risk in half by driving less aggressively or driving with our mind focused fully on the road. Similarly, we can consider whether it is really worth tripling our risk of a crash by speeding.
If you have been in a car accident or truck accident talk to the professional and experienced attorneys at Traut Firm. We represent accident victims and never represent insurance companies. Our focus is on helping you if you or your loved one has been injured.
Contact us for a free case consultation today.