Despite an increase in road travel, in 2009 the number of fatal car accidents nationwide dropped to their lowest number since 1950 and car accident injuries also fell to lowest rates ever recorded the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports.
There were 442 fewer fatal Florida car accidents and Texas saw 405 fewer fatal car crashes. Overall, 41 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico each experienced a drop in fatalities. In tandem with the drop in fatal car accidents and fewer injuries, the number of alcohol-related car accident deaths dropped more than 7 percent.
The NHTSA Administrator David Strickland attributes much of the decline to seat belt use and aggressive anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns. “But we are still losing more than 30,000 lives a year on our highways, and about a third of these involve drunk driving. We will continue to work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation, every day and every night.”
According to the NHTSA, motorcyclist fatalities broke a decade-long increase in fatal crashes with a 24 percent decline and now account for 13 percent of total vehicle-related fatalities. Passenger car, light truck and large-truck vehicles also each saw significant drops.
Still, despite the overall downward trend, car accidents remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 3-34, and more drivers and passengers need to buckle up. More than half of those killed in fatal car accidents were not wearing a seat belt.
Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at Freeman & Mallard have been successfully and aggressively representing car accident victims and their families in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Ft. Pierce /Port St. Lucie for years. Call us today to schedule a no-obligation appointment to discuss your case at 1-800-529-2368.