The number of fatal car accidents differs from year to year. While the long-term picture shows a general decline in accidents – a testament to safety innovations – recent years have shown around 35,000 to 40,000 fatalities. That begs the question: how many people lost their lives in 2019, and are the roads getting safer?
Deaths from auto accidents
The National Safety Council reports about 38,800 people passed away in car accidents in 2019, which aligns with the general trend. In fact, the roads do appear to be getting at least a little safer. There was a 2% decrease from 2017 to 2018, and we now know there was another 2% decrease from 2018 to 2019. The 4% overall drop may not sound like much, but when you are dealing with numbers of this size, it means more than 1,000 people lived in 2019 when they would not have in 2017. This demonstrates progress in the right direction.
Why are things getting safer?
Technology and safety innovations in vehicles continuously evolve and contribute to the decreasing number of fatal accidents. Additionally, recent years have brought about a renewed focus and crackdown on distracted driving after many have blamed smartphones for increasing fatality numbers – or at least a slower rate of decrease. However, awareness campaigns and new laws have been implemented with the purpose of reducing deaths from auto accidents.
Unfortunately, even though the trend appears positive, tens of thousands of people still pass away annually. If you lose a loved one in a car accident, make sure you understand what options you have. A lawsuit will not restore your loved one to you, but it will help with the financial needs your family may have.