This article shares some great advice from Phoenix car accident lawyers Cantor Crane on ways to avoid fatal car accidents. Fatal car accidents are a tragedy that can change a family’s future in an instant. No one wants to believe that when a loved one leaves for work or school, they’re saying goodbye for the last time. A fatal accident can be caused by any number of factors – bad weather, poor visibility and distracted or impaired driving are some of the most common. In many cases, however, a fatal accident is caused by the actions of another driver on the road. A driver who is checking their text messages, making a call, fiddling with the radio or is too engaged in conversation with passengers to pay attention to the road can sometimes cause an accident that takes another person’s life.
The Decline and Rise of Traffic Fatalities in the US
Many motorists have found confidence in the fact that within the past 15 years, the amount of fatal car accidents happening on highways in the United States has declined slowly but steadily. Campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of always wearing safety belts have often been praised as reasons for this declining figure. Unfortunately, the decline that was being seen previously is no longer in place, replaced by a rise in deadly traffic accidents, according to last week’s announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The most recent figures for the year 2015 demonstrate that traffic related deaths on American roadways increased by nine percent – this encompasses more than 26,000 human fatalities.
Reasons For Increased Fatalities
There are a number of factors that have been attributed to this unfortunate increase in traffic accident deaths. Unsafe driving practices have seen a serious increase since smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of American culture, as many people pause to check texts, take or make calls, browse the web or adjust music on the phone while the car is in motion. Use and abuse of drugs and alcohol leading to impaired driving is also a commonly noted cause of fatal traffic accidents. Dangerous driving behaviors like using excessive speed, following other motorists too closely or failing to heed traffic signals can also cause auto accident fatalities. Tragically, some accident fatalities are also related to the improper use of safety restraints that exist within cars, like seat belts, or harnesses and car seats intended to protect babies and children in the event of an accident.
NHTSA Safety Summits
In response to such a large increase in traffic related fatalities, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided to hold a number of conferences that include summits throughout different regions of the United States, with the final summit taking place in the nation’s capitol, Washington DC. At these summits, the NHTSA will be focusing on an analysis of what makes people behave in unsafe ways while they are driving and the things that may be causing them to make bad decisions in traffic situations. The summits also place a great deal of focus on reforming the public’s view about exactly what construes unsafe driving and how it can be prevented in different new ways. This will include risk limiting behaviors such as making sure to give pedestrians and cyclists appropriate room and regard when driving. Beyond their actions in hosting these summits, the NHTSA has taken into account the fact that human error is the cause of 94% of traffic deaths and are contemplating the implementation of programs designed to educate drivers and provide incentives for safe driving in the hopes of seeing a reduction in tragic auto accident fatalities.
Seeking Compensation
Many factors can culminate in a car accident that takes someone’s life far too soon. Careless driving and a lack of familiarity with traffic laws and rules as well as distracted and impaired drivers are all frequent sources of auto accidents that have the potential for fatalities. Safe vehicle operation is the responsibility of all drivers in the state of Arizona. If someone else’s unsafe driving has negatively affected you or someone you love, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries.
If you are searching for a Phoenix accident attorney, the professional car accident lawyers at Cantor Crane are all too familiar with how devastating the end result of someone else’s careless driving can be. It is our goal to help you or your loved one, seek compensation after being victimized by the unsafe driving of another motorist. Contact us today at (602) 254-2701.
