New figures from the National Safety Council show that auto accident deaths in Georgia declined during the first 11 months of 2010. According to the report, there were 1,121 auto accident deaths between January and November 2010, down from 1,165 during the same period time in 2009, and 1,323 deaths during the same period of time in 2008. Overall, statistics for Georgia show a 15% decline in the number of attacks between January-November 2008 and January-November 2010.
Georgia statistics mirrored a nationwide trend. Overall, motor vehicle accidents across the country declined by approximately 4% in the first 11 months of 2010. As of November 2010, there were 31,740 accident fatalities.
This year, the National Safety Council adopted the concept of “medically consulted injuries” to define the injury impact of these accidents. According to the National Safety Council, a medically consulted injury is any injury that is deemed serious enough to require the attention of a medical professional. Between January and November 2010, there were 3, 100,000 medically consulted injuries arising from auto accidents. Further, auto accidents in 2010 lead to total costs of $216.5 billion. These include medical expenses, employer costs, lost hours and lost productivity.
Though the National Safety Council does not speculate on reasons for this decline, as Atlanta car accident lawyers, we believe the decline could be attributed to a reduction in drunk driving accident fatalities. Stronger enforcement, sobriety checkpoints and patrols have contributes to fewer intoxicated motorists on the road, and hence, fewer deaths in DUI accidents. Besides, seatbelt usage in Georgia has risen to record highs, helping prevent fatalities even in serious accidents.