The United States recently crossed a painful milestone as it recorded 4 million car accident wrongful deaths since the first fatality was recorded in 1899.
The milestone is especially poignant because it comes as transportation authorities are grappling with the problem of increasing car accident deaths across the country, especially since the pandemic. While there has been a slight progress in helping reverse that trend, car accident deaths, especially those related to distracted driving and speeding have simply skyrocketed over the past 2 years, undoing much of the progress that has been made in this field over the past decade.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association is calling for better implementation of the National Roadways Safety Strategy , safer infrastructure, better protection for pedestrians and bicyclists, and stronger laws against distracted driving and drunk driving, as well as efficient after – accident care as the key to helping reduce the number of people being killed in these very preventable car accidents every year.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association is also calling for a number of other measures that it believes can pave the way towards Vision Zero, an initiative that foresees a future with zero accidents. One of these measures is the lowering of the legal blood alcohol concentration limit which currently stands at .08 as well as better integration of safety features in vehicles. There is no doubt that modern automobiles are safer than they were even a couple of decades ago, but much of the progress made in improving safety technology in cars has been seemingly negated by irresponsible driving behaviors. Driver error continues to remain a leading cause of car accident wrongful deaths every year. There is only so much that technology can do to prevent car accidents when drivers continue to drive aggressively, under the influence of alcohol or while drowsy.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association would also like to see better implementation of camera systems, including speeding cameras and red light cameras in order to deter violating drivers. These are often at the receiving end of criticism, but can significantly help reduce the incidence of dangerous driving behaviors that cause devastating auto accidents. The disturbing increase in drunk driving accident wrongful deaths in recent years can be reversed, for instance, with stronger ignition interlock laws for repeat DUI offenders. Some of these strategies, like ignition interlock laws, are already in place in some states and have proven benefits in helping reduce car accident deaths.
The Atlanta car accident attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in an auto accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering and other forms of damages. Talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your legal options. Initial consultations are free.