Rand Spear, a New Jersey car accident lawyer explains the recent increase in fatal car accidents in the Garden State.
The news is filled with headlines about how cars are becoming safer. New technology even allows cars to drive themselves,1 with an eye toward one day removing the risk of human error or misjudgment from the road entirely.
Cars keep getting safer, but fatal car accidents in New Jersey continue to rise — and it has safety experts worried, says Philadelphia motor vehicle accident lawyer Rand Spear.
According to a recent report,2 fatal car accidents in the Garden State increased by 8% in 2016 — the third year in a row deadly traffic accidents went up. In 2015, there were 562 fatal car accidents in New Jersey. In 2016, that number jumped to 607.
Officials Say Distracted Driving Is to Blame for Rise in Deadly Crashes
According to highway safety officials, the reason for the spike in fatal motor vehicle crashes is largely due to distracted driving. Officials also say that distracted driving has caused the number of fatal pedestrian and bicyclist accidents in the state to increase.
You don’t have to look hard to find plenty of evidence that distracted driving has become a national problem.3 In fact, data shows that driver distractions have reached epidemic proportions, with distractions playing a role in 10% of all traffic deaths. As of 2015, motor vehicle deaths were the highest they have been in 50 years.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 56% of motorists surveyed admit that they have used a phone behind the wheel. However, at least one study shows that this number is much higher. According to research conducted by the Everdrive app, which monitors when users use their phones, 96% of all drivers used their phones behind the wheel at least once within a 30-day period. For every 11 miles on the road, the average motorist spent 0.4 miles talking on the phone while driving.
Other factors responsible for the increase in fatal car accidents include speeding, an improved economy that means higher employment rates and more people on the road, and lower gas prices.
Philadelphia motor vehicle accident lawyer Rand Spear explains, “Most people understand that distracted driving is dangerous. However, it’s so easy to glance at a text or pick up a vibrating phone behind the wheel that many people also engage in distracted driving without really thinking about the risks. The reality is that it takes mere seconds of inattention to the road to be involved in a serious or deadly crash. No text, email, or call is worth your well-being or your life.”
Pledge to End Distracted Driving
The federal government has created a pledge that all motorists can take to fight back against and hopefully end distracted driving. You can learn more about the pledge — and download it — by visiting distraction.gov.4
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle collision, get in touch with a lawyer today to learn about your rights. To discuss your truck or traffic accident case with a knowledgeable Philadelphia and New Jersey car accident lawyer, schedule a free consultation or call Rand Spear at 888-373-4LAW.
Footnotes:
1 Cars to drive themselves http://www.businessinsider.com/why-driverless-cars-will-be-safer-than-human-drivers-2016-11
2 Report http://nj1015.com/our-cars-are-safer-so-why-are-fatal-accidents-in-nj-rising/
3 National problem http://fortune.com/2016/09/14/distracted-driving-epidemic/
4 Distraction.gov https://www.distraction.gov/take-action/take-the-pledge.html
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