Illinois’ National Safety Council has just released its latest compilation of information on fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States. The news is not encouraging.
According to NSC research, the number of fatalities caused by traffic accidents remained almost the same for 2017 as the preceding year. Obviously, efforts to curtail deaths due to car wrecks, truck crashes, motorcycle accidents, etc. have not made much, if any, difference.
In 2017, there were 40,100 deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents. In 2016, 40,327 fatalities were reported. The number of traffic fatalities in 2017 was 6% higher than in 2015.
Another scary number: until 2016, the last time that the number of traffic accident deaths exceeded 40,000 was 2007.
From NSC President Deborah A.P. Hersman:
“The price we are paying for mobility is 40,000 lives each year. This is a stark reminder that our complacency is killing us. The only acceptable number is zero; we need to mobilize a full court press to improve roadway safety.”
Causes of Motor Vehicle Accident Deaths
Of course, the next question once these numbers are released is why there continues to be so many deaths due to traffic accidents.
According to NSC research, Indiana saw an 11% increase in motor vehicle deaths from 2015 to 2017; Illinois saw a 6% increase in traffic fatalities during the same time period.
And once these factors are identified, then how can we work together to reduce the risk of dying while driving on roads here in Indiana, Illinois, or the rest of the country?
The Itasca safety advocacy group suggests several factors are contributing to the number of traffic fatalities facing all of us on the road today. Among them are:
1. More Time on the Road
Are people driving more? Not really. According to their data, the total miles driven by motor vehicles in the United States went up around one percent (1%) in 2017.
2. Impaired Drivers
Drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking alcoholic beverages or taking drugs (either street drugs or prescription medication) cannot employ the necessary mental and physical abilities to drive a motor vehicle safely if they are driving impaired.
Even a single glass of wine or can of beer is enough to make some drivers exceed the legal limit in Indiana and Illinois. And the national opioid crisis has a direct correlation to car crashes and traffic deaths.
For more, see:
- Impaired Driving in Indiana and Illinois: It’s More than Driving Drunk
- Dangers of Drug-Impaired Driving Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
- Factors in Drunk Driving Fatal Car Crashes in Indiana and Illinois
3. Drowsy Drivers
Drowsy driving means that the person operating their motor vehicle is not able to fully concentrate on the task at hand. Drowsy drivers suffer from fatigue and can make mistakes or errors in judgment that can cause accidents that kill.
- You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued
- More than 5,000 people died in drowsy-driving related crashes in 2014
- Losing even two hours of sleep is similar to the effect of having three beers
- Being awake for more than 20 hours is the equivalent of being legally drunk
4. Distracted Drivers
Distracted driving involves much more than texting while driving. More and more, experts are recognizing that a variety of distractions contribute to fatal traffic accidents. While cell phones remain the primary cause of distracted driving fatalities, “infotainment” systems and luxury multi-tasking technology also correlate to driving deaths. The human brain is distracted by these hands-free options almost as much as by the cell phone itself.
See:
- Fatal Distracted Driving Accidents: How Much at Risk are You Here in Indiana and Illinois?
- ARE DASHBOARDS DEADLY? VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS AND FATAL ACCIDENTS
5. Inexperienced Drivers
Teen drivers are proven to cause more fatal accidents than more experienced drivers. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for teenagers in the United States.
It makes sense that the newbie behind the wheel is more prone to making mistakes while driving. However, other factors also contribute to the dangers facing teenagers behind the wheel.
See:
- Teen Drivers and Fatal Car Accidents: High Risk in Indiana and Illinois
- Teen Drivers Legally Licensed and Still Dying Behind the Wheel Car Crashes Number One Cause of Teen Deaths (14- 18 Year Olds)
6. Defective Parts and Motor Vehicle Recalls
It is impossible to drive any distance in Indiana or Illinois and not share the roadway with one or more motor vehicles that face a recall due to a defective part. The part may be an air bag, an ignition, a seat latch, a tire, or any number of other vehicle components. Many of these recalls are dangerous and known to have caused fatal accidents, and yet many defective vehicles remain on the roads.
It is one thing to recall the defect. It is another to make sure that the owner or driver actually gets notice of the defect and thereafter makes sure that the dangerous defect is fixed.
See:
- Defective Car Parts & Liability for Fatal Crashes and Serious Injuries in Illinois and Indiana
- Recalls Don’t Solve the Problem of Defective Product Injuries
7. Failure to Use Safety Belts
Finally, the NSC contributes many of these motor vehicle fatalities to the failure of the driver or passengers of the at-fault vehicle or the other vehicle(s) involved in the crash to wear seat belts.
Safety belts are known to save lives in a serious motor vehicle accident. The failure to wear a seat belt can mean the victim will die in a wreck he or she would have otherwise survived.
See: Is Your Teenager Wearing a Seat Belt While in the Car? Are You? New 2015 CDC Warnings Released
Justice for Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents
In Indiana and Illinois, there are state laws designed to give justice to victims of fatal motor vehicle accidents and their families. However, these claims are always insufficient because nothing can return that fatal accident victim to their loved ones.
These tragedies are all the more heart-wrenching when the causes of these accidents are revealed to be preventable. From defective parts to driving drunk, these crashes often result in deaths that could have been avoided.
Too many people are dying in motor vehicle accidents in this country. Both Indiana and Illinois saw a jump in the number of traffic deaths from 2015 to 2017. Fatal crashes not only kill their victim, but they destroy families and alter the lives of grieving loved ones forever. Let’s be careful out there!
