According to the new statistics released from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of fatalities and injuries from car accidents in Phoenix and elsewhere in 2010 reached a low not seen since 1949. The number of fatalities didn’t decline everywhere though. The number of fatalities among large truck occupants, motorcycle riders and pedestrians in fact increased significantly.”While we have more work to do to continue to protect American motorists, these numbers show we’re making historic progress when it comes to improving safety on our nation’s roadways,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood.
Our Phoenix car accident attorneys understand that our state still experienced more than 760 traffic-related fatalities in 2010. While this is a decrease in the total number when compared to 2009, this number is expected to increase as the economy continues to recover. As Arizona pushes efforts to combat drunk driving, distracted driving and speed-related traffic accidents, motorists are asked to exercise safe driving habits to help to reduce these numbers.
As technology advances, distraction-related car accidents are becoming more and more common on our roadways. The NHTSA recognizes this increasing trend as well. The Administration is now using a new measure to count these accidents. It’s called “distraction-affected crashes” and was first used in the 2010 statistics, released this week.
In 2010, there were more than 3,000 traffic fatalities resulting from car accident that involved a distracted driver. While we commonly hear about cell phones and texting being the cause for driver distractions, we still see an alarming high number of distractions caused by eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, messing with the radio and talking to other passengers.
Back in 2006, the FARS unveiled a new measure to keep track of alcohol-related accidents. In an attempt to focus on these types of accidents, the NHTSA recently introduced its measure called “alcohol-impaired driving crashes” to better define and keep track of these types of accidents.
Key Findings of the 2010 Motor Vehicle Accidents Overview:
-There were nearly 33,000 people in the U.S. who died because of traffic accidents.
-More than 2 million people were injured in 2010. This is approximately 100,000 more than in 2009.
-Alcohol-related accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all fatal traffic accidents.
-Motorcycle fatalities increased and accounted for nearly 15 percent of all traffic fatalities.
-Fatalities among large truck occupants increased by nearly 10 percent from 2009.
-The number of rural accidents increased, while the number of urban-area accidents decreased slightly.
-The number of motorcycle fatalities decreased among riders under the age of 50, but increased significantly for riders over the age of 50.
-Twenty states experienced increases in the number of traffic-related fatalities.
As we recently reported, the state of Arizona witnessed more than 106,000 car accidents in 2010. Drivers are urged to be cautious and practice safe driving habits on our roadways to help to further reduce the number of accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Phoenix car accident, call the Arizona accident attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us online or call 866-99-ABELS to speak directly to a lawyer today.
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