Deaths from traffic accidents increased by eight percent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period the year before, according to estimates released last month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
There were 25,808 traffic deaths in the first three quarters of 2015 and 27,875 deaths in the first three quarters of 2016.
If you lost a loved one in a traffic accident, contact our South Bend car accident attorneys for a free legal consultation.
The increase is partially explained by an increase in the number of miles travelled during that period because of a better economy. However, there were other factors at work because the number of miles travelled increased by only three percent during this period of time, according to the NHTSA.
Regulators attributed some of the increased fatalities to weather, noting that research has shown people tend to drive more when the weather is warmer and the days are longer.
Distracted driving may have been another factor in the increase in traffic fatalities last year. However, it is tough to gauge how much of a factor it was because it is hard to know if there was more distracted driving during the first nine months of 2016.
Certain regions experienced more or less significant increases in traffic deaths compared to the rest of the nation.
There was an increase of 20 percent in the New England region and only a one percent increase in the area of the country consisting of North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Nevada.
The spike in traffic deaths came as a surprise to federal regulators because an ever-increasing number of vehicles have safety features like blind-spot monitoring and rear-view cameras that are designed to help prevent crashes.
Have you lost a loved one in a car accident?
You may be able to file a lawsuit to obtain fair compensation for damages, such as medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost companionship.
Contact the skilled personal injury attorneys in South Bend at Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak for a free, no obligation legal consultation.
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