Georgia Injury Law Blog
Federal transportation safety agencies recorded a 3% drop in auto accident, truck accident, and motorcycle accident wrongful deaths in 2010.Southern states including Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida also recorded a 3% drop in accident deaths last year.Last year’s figures are the lowest accident death rates on record since 1949. As an Atlanta Injury lawyer, I welcome the latest report of the decline in these numbers.
The Georgia/South Carolina/Alabama/Tennessee/Florida region recorded 6,375 car accident deaths in 2010, a drop of 3% from 2009, when there were 6,573 accident deaths.Overall, nationwide, there were 32, 788 auto accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident deaths in 2010, a decline of 3% from 33,808 fatalities in 2009.Moreover, the decline in car accident deaths was the lowest on record since 1949.Last year accident deaths also marked a 25% drop since 2005.
The statistics also seem to put to rest the theory that the decline in car accident fatalities has had a lot to do with the recession.Last year, Americans traveled more vehicle miles, but fewer Americans died in accidents.There are other reasons that have contribute to this decline that have been evident for the past few years.Higher seat belt usage rate is typically one of those factors.More drivers in Georgia now buckle up than ever before and this has meant fewer fatalities in accidents.
Besides, cars now come packed with the latest safety features that are designed not just to minimize the risk of accidents, but also protect occupants better in the event of an accident.Side airbags are becoming popular on more and more automobiles while electronic stability control has been available on most new models for a while now.Besides, lane departure warning systems, forward collision warning systems including those that include pedestrian detection, and other advanced safety features have helped reduce car accident deaths.
More could be done, however.For instance, we could save more lives every year if we had harsher laws in place against the use of cell phones and texting while driving.