Mark Roman | March 14, 2017 | Car Accidents

Just a few months ago, this blog discussed a rise in auto accident death rates in 2015. Now the numbers are in for 2016, and they’re even worse.

The National Safety Council data show a 6-percent increase in deaths in 2016 from 2015. The number of deaths was more than 40,000 for the first time in a decade. Unfortunately, that was a continuation of a trend. The number of deaths for 2015 were from 35,000 to 37,000 (depending on which figures one uses), and that was an increase of almost eight-percent from 2014.

Until 2014, traffic deaths per year had been declining steadily for decades. This means a favorable trend flipped to an unfavorable trend within the space of a few years.

Post-accident medical care numbers also rose. In 2016, about 4.6 million people needed treatment after a crash. That’s an increase of seven percent over 2015. Costs attributed to injuries and property damage also increased to $432.5 billion, a 12-percent increase from 2015.

Some of this increase is likely due to an improved economy and relatively modest gas prices. Better economic conditions puts more people on the road for work and recreation. However, the increase in miles driven was only three-percent from 2015 to 2016. The increases in injuries, death, and property damage were much higher than three-percent. This suggests there may be more involved than just the amount of cars on the road.

This brings us back to distracted driving. Despite campaigns to reduce texting and driving and other forms of distracted driving, people don’t seem to be getting the message. Young drivers in particular still admit to driving while distracted by electronics at alarming rates. It may be that increases in traffic are simply compounding the harm, because distracted driving accidents are even more likely when high traffic volume leaves no margin for error.

Car insurance companies have already begun raising rates in light of these new figures. While we have always disagreed with the idea of raising rates just to boost profits, we can’t quarrel with raising rates to keep up with accident-related claims costs. An insurer can hardly be blamed for just trying to “cover the spread.”

Individually, we’re all going to be paying more to insure our cars and trucks. As a society, we’re going to bear increased costs from deaths, disability, medical, and property damage caused by the increase in crashes.

We hope policymakers will begin to take this problem seriously as the death toll mounts. Individual drivers also need to do their part by redoubling their efforts to be safe. Otherwise, this grim trend will likely continue, and we’ll all pay an even steeper price.

Contact the Tampa Car Accident Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa. We have four convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.

We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442