In Alabama and across the United States, there were fundamental changes in the way people lived in 2020, mostly due to the ongoing health crisis. Even as the situation is expected to improve, there is a continuing assessment of ancillary issues that arose and what it bodes for 2021. There is growing worry that the trends from 2020 could extend into the new year. People who have been injured or lost a loved one in an auto accident should be aware of the causes of these crashes. It could be a vital component in a legal filing to recover compensation for all that was lost.
Statistics show rise in fatalities per 100 million miles traveled in 2020
In a normal year, there are more than 35,000 road deaths and three million injuries across the nation. For 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that there was a reduction in overall fatalities from 2019 in which there were slightly more than 36,000 – a 2% decrease from 2018. This downward trend continued for 2020. However, when the number of miles driven in 2020 is factored into the equation, there was an increase in road deaths. This is the underlying aspect of statistics as the total cannot be viewed as a final number until all the factors are weighed.
The full numbers for 2020 will not be known until later in 2021. With the pandemic keeping people off the road, many working from home, schools intermittently closed and fewer leisure trips being taken, some took advantage by driving at excessive speeds, driving while distracted, driving under the influence, and behaving in reckless ways. Fatalities per miles driven was the worst it has been in more than a decade. Government regulators, legislators and law enforcement are aware of this and it is a growing fear. Drivers, passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians and anyone else on the road should be cognizant of it.
Compensation may be crucial to move forward after an auto accident
An auto accident can cause long-lasting or permanent changes to a person’s life and it can happen without warning. Financially, personally and professionally, people will immediately wonder how to move forward. A long hospitalization, surgeries and the need for extended care can cause stresses that extend to every area of life. When there is a fatality, those who have lost a loved one will need to consider their options on how to move on. Determining how the accident occurred is a fundamental part of a legal filing. To recover sufficient compensation for all that was lost, it may be necessary to have experienced advice. Consulting with a firm that understands motor vehicle accidents is a wise first step.
