Fears for personal safety are widespread among motorists and pedestrians, a majority of whom in a recent survey admitted that they were very concerned about their risks of being involved in an auto accident while traveling.
The results of the survey revealed that as many as 83% of motorists and 78% of pedestrians are concerned about their risks of being involved in an auto accident while on the road. Auto safety is definitely a priority and a major concern for most American motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Respondents in the survey opined that safe transport should be the top most transportation safety concern for authorities, and should be given more importance than efficient commutes, sustainable transport and other initiatives.
Those fears for safety are not entirely unfounded. Americans have been treated to a variety of disquieting news articles about declining safety standards and increasing car accident deaths across the country over the past few months. In 2021, for instance, there were more than 42,000 car accident wrongful deaths recorded across the country, the highest number on record in 16 years. The number of pedestrians killed in car accidents increased by close to 12% between 2019 and 2021, and there were close to 7,500 wrongful deaths in these auto accidents last year.
The increase in the number of people being killed in all types of car accidents across the country has left Americans feeling quite vulnerable about their safety as well as their risks of being involved in an auto accident while driving, walking or riding a bicycle. A majority of the respondents in the survey also admitted that they believe that expanded use of auto safety technology was the way forward in helping prevent personal injuries and fatalities in auto accidents. Most respondents pointed to the benefits of advanced driver assistance systems and their important role in keeping motorists safe.
More than three-quarters of the respondents said that they believe that the role of auto safety tech in keeping pedestrians and cyclists safe has never been greater, with most respondents pointing to blind spot detection systems, forward collision warning systems and object detection systems as key technologies that could help prevent fatal car accidents. More than 58% of the pedestrians and bicyclists in the survey also pointed to the need for improving crosswalks and other pedestrian safety initiatives as key transportation safety concerns.
While the study clearly shows that Americans are positive about the role of auto safety in keeping them safe, it is also important for them to understand that this technology only works as well as the motorists who operate these cars. In other words, safe driving practices continue to be critically important for their role in preventing auto accidents.
The Atlanta car crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages. You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.