The last year has changed a lot about our lives. One of them is the way we work. Many people have been performing their job duties remotely over the last year, which has left Montana’s roadways even less congested than normal. While that might lead you to believe that this fact reduced car accident injuries and deaths, the truth is much more bleak.
2020 a dark year for car accidents
The reality is that 2020 was a bad year for car accidents. In total, the U.S. saw an 8% increase in fatal car crashes, with more than 42,000 people killed in these wrecks. This is the first time car accident fatalities have increased in the last four years. Making matters worse is the fact that fatality rates per 100 million mile driven increased significantly, too, which means that more people are dying in crashes despite the fact that they’re driving less. On top of all of that, it’s estimated that nearly five million people were injured in motor vehicle accidents last year.
What caused the increases?
Nobody knows for sure at this point, but there are some strong suggestions that speed was the number one culprit. Open roads tend to invite speeding, and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration supports that assertion. Hospitals also saw more people intoxicated by drugs and alcohol while being treated for injuries, which means that drunk and drugged driving likely also played a major factor in the increased fatality rates.
What this means for you
Statistics give us a glimpse of trends and help our states and country decide what needs to be done to curtail dangerous driving practices. But they tell us very little about the very real impact these wrecks have on individuals and families. We know the pain and suffering that is caused by a car accident, which is why we are devoted to helping victims and their families fight to reclaim their lives and turn the page on a dark chapter of their lives. If you or a loved one could use some assistance in fighting to impose liability and recover compensation, then now may be the time to reach out to a skilled legal team like ours.
