People Polled Say the Roads Are More Dangerous Now Than Pre-Pandemic

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, nearly half of Americans (49%) say that drivers in their area drive more dangerously now than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 9% of the individuals polled say people drive more safely, indicating a concerning trend on our nation’s roads.

What the Data Says About Deadly Roadway Incidents?

There are several factors when it comes to the topic of dangerous driving. According to federal data, some of the most pressing factors that contribute to motor vehicle fatalities are distracted driving, reckless driving, drunk driving and other impairments, and road rage. However, there are other types of dangerous driving behaviors as well, like disobeying various traffic laws, speeding, and drowsy driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent data shows there were just over 46,000 motor vehicle deaths in 2022. Although this number was slightly lower than it was in 2021, it was still higher than in 2019 before the pandemic hit.

Next, let’s look at how the most dangerous driving behaviors inform motor vehicle fatality statistics. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, counted a total of 3,308 lives that were lost from distracted driving in 2022. Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver’s attention away from driving, like talking or texting on your phone, eating, drinking, inputting directions, and more. Texting is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do behind the wheel; according to the administration, sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds. In that time and traveling at a speed of 55 mph, it is the same as driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed.

Reckless or risky driving is also a common culprit when it comes to endangering people on the road. Reckless driving encompasses many different driving behaviors, like speeding, hit-and-runs, racing, tailgating, and more. Here are some of the NHTSA’s statistics on accidents that involve risky driving:

• Although the number of hit-and-runs that result in non-fatal injuries was lower in 2022 than it was in 2019 (11.4% of all accidents were injury-only hit-and-runs in 2022 versus 12.6% in 2019), the number of fatal hit-and-runs grew. 14.5% of all deadly crashes involved a hit-and-run driver in 2022, as compared to 12.1% in 2019.
• More than one-quarter of deadly crashes in 2022 involved speeding (27.8%). This is two percentage points higher than in 2019.

The NHTSA defines road rage as when a driver commits moving traffic offenses to endanger people (or property) or assaults another vehicle with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon. The administration goes on to call road rage “an extreme of aggressive driving when behavior turns angry and violent.” Although the data on road rage can be difficult to decipher due to the complexity of the legal processes that surround violent criminal behavior, the Gun Violence Archive, or GVA, does have some useful data on the topic. Although the number of cases in which a road rage incident involved a gun being only brandished or where shots were fired but no one was hit was the highest in 2019 at 692, the number of people who were killed in similar incidents involving guns peaked in 2022 at 148 fatalities and 421 injuries.

The last on today’s list is drunk driving and other impairments. Here are some of the NHTSA’s key facts to familiarize yourself with:

• Nearly one-third (31.3%) of the deadly crashes in 2022 involved at least one driver who was legally impaired, meaning their BAC (blood alcohol concentration) was 0.08% or higher, up from 27.7% in 2019.
• In 2022, 13,524 people lost their lives in collisions involving a legally impaired driver, representing a 32.6% jump in fatalities since 2019.
• Deaths from drunk driving accounted for nearly 32% of all motor vehicle-related fatalities in 2022, which is the highest the number has been since 2008.

As you can see, most of the actions that contribute to dangerous driving and deadly vehicular crashes are entirely preventable. Pledging to avoid all distractions when behind the wheel, obeying traffic laws, practicing safe driving behaviors, and never getting behind the wheel after using alcohol and/or drugs are some of the most effective ways to save lives that could otherwise be lost in senseless tragedy.

Contacting an Attorney

The attorneys at our firm have decades of experience representing automobile accident victims. Here are a few examples of our recoveries:

• Our client was left paralyzed after being hit head-on by the at-fault driver. Our team not only pursued a case against the driver who caused the accident but also against the auto manufacturer for defective seat belts and the overall crashworthiness of the vehicle. Our attorneys successfully recovered $4,500,000.00 on behalf of our injured client. You can learn more about this recovery at https://www.galfandberger.com/verdicts/auto-accidents/39-2/.
• Our client struck a construction vehicle, a truck, that pulled onto the highway at night from an unmarked turn-around. Our client passed away due to the force of impact in the crash. We were able to settle the matter for $2,000,000.00 in favor of our client and their loved ones. To read more, visit https://www.galfandberger.com/verdicts/auto-accidents/46-2/.

If you would like to speak with an attorney about filing a claim for injuries that you sustained in a motor vehicle accident, someone at our firm can help. To learn more, contact a representative online now.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP, Representing Injured Victims Since 1947

Contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP today. Call us at 800-222-USWA (8792) or fill out our online form for a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, we serve clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Allentown and Harrisburg.