Accident Rates Jump Amid Empty Roads
USA- Collisionweek.com writes that the National Safety Council (NSC) released traffic estimates that are showing a disturbing trend. While the roads might have been clearer than normal because of the pandemic, they became more deadly. For three straight months, the risk of being killed in a car accident on the road in the United States has been higher than it was last year, prior to the pandemic.
Miles traveled were down by about 25.5 percent this May compared May of 2019. Sadly, the significant drop in driving only led to a small eight percent decline in fatalities caused by crashes. The deadly crash rate per mile, therefore, increased rather than decreased. Average death per 100 million miles was 1.47 this May. In 2019, the rate was 1.19.
The numbers are disappointing to traffic safety advocates because, in recent years, crashes have been dropping. With far fewer cars on the road, many hoped that this year would, at the very least, experience a decline in crash-related deaths.
Deaths may only go up more so now that many businesses have employees returning to work. The NSC points out that motor vehicle collisions cause more work-related fatalities than anything else. More commuters could mean more tragedies.
The CEO of the NSC called on employers to work to keep their employees safe from traffic violence and to open up their businesses with commuter safety in mind. According to the NSC, employers have the ability to significantly reduce driving risks faced by their workers.
According to data, some states saw larger drops in deaths than others. In Tennessee, fatalities declined by 58 percent, and Wyoming saw a 52 percent drop in deaths. Mississippi, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Arizona all saw drops as well. Those declines were offset by six states where deaths increased.
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