Advanced safety technology might be helping to drive down U.S. traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania and across the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency released its annual U.S. traffic accident figures on Oct. 22.
The NHTSA reports that 36,560 Americans were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2018, which is a drop of 2.4% from 2017’s numbers. It’s the second straight year that traffic fatalities have fallen, reversing a recent trend of sharp increases. It appears that deaths are falling in 2019 as well. Preliminary statistics from the first half of the year show that fatalities are down around 3.4% from the first half of 2018. The agency says that anti-collision technologies on new vehicles could be partly responsible for the drop.
Unfortunately, the agency’s statistics also carried bad news in some categories. For instance, fatalities from large truck collisions increased just under 1% in 2018, continuing a decade-long upward trend. Meanwhile, pedestrian deaths spiked up around 3.4% to 6,283, which is the highest total in almost three decades, according to Consumer Reports. Cyclist deaths also went up over 6%. As a result, the NHTSA says it is exploring ways to update its vehicle crash rating system to include technologies that better detect pedestrians, bikers and other vulnerable individuals on the road.
A personal injury attorney might be able to help car crash victims obtain compensation for their medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and other expenses. This is particularly true for victims injured in car accidents caused by distracted or otherwise negligent drivers. Injured victims could learn more about the process by scheduling a consultation.