After 7 consecutive years of year- to -year increases in auto accident wrongful deaths, the federal administration has been recording slow, but perceptible drops in these numbers for four consecutive quarters. Latest estimates by the administration shows that the first quarter of 2023 has been no different.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its auto accident death projections for 2023. The estimates for the first quarter of 2023 show a 3% decline in the number of people killed in car accidents compared to the same period of time in 2022. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that a total of 9,330 people were killed in auto accidents in the first quarter of 2023. That was a drop from the 9,645 accident deaths recorded during the same period of time last year. The fatality rate for the first quarter of this year was 1.24 traffic accident deaths compared to 1.32 fatalities during the first quarter of last year.
The same trend could also be seen in Georgia where there was a drop in the number of people killed in auto accidents in the first quarter of 2023, compared to last year. During the first quarter of 2022, a total of 468 people were killed in car accidents in Georgia, and that number dropped to 410 fatalities this year. That was a significant 3.7% drop. The fatality rate in Georgia dropped from 1.62 fatalities in 2022 to 1.36 deaths this year.
A decline in auto accident fatalities during the first three months of this year is an encouraging sign, but the fact is that there are too many people dying on American roads for us to become complacent. The rate of pedestrian accident deaths, for instance, has skyrocketed to record highs with new figures by the Governors Highway Safety Association pointing to a decades- high record number of people being killed in pedestrian accidents in 2022.
Clearly, there is much work that needs to be done, and it is encouraging that the federal administration has chosen to prioritize traffic safety. The Transportation Secretary, for instance, launched the National Roadways Safety Strategy last year, a multi-pronged initiative that focuses on safer roads, safer vehicles, better drivers and safer speeds in order to effect a continuous and study decline in preventable auto accident wrongful deaths. The National Roadways Safety Strategy is being bolstered by unprecedented funding for safety programs as part of President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. This year alone, the administration has announced more than 800 million dollars in accident prevention grants to communities in high- risk areas.
None of these initiatives are designed to have an overnight impact, but over a steady period of time, it is very likely that we will see the kind of progress that has eluded us since the pandemic.
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.