Skip Navigation In 2020, while in the grip of a pandemic, several states imposed lockdowns in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This left most of the nation’s streets and highways nearly deserted. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that daily household trips decreased by as much as 35 percent. Yet, despite this fact, car accident deaths in 2020 rose by 24 percent.
A study by the Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute reported similar yet astounding results in Texas. According to the study, even though traffic accidents dropped by 50 percent, those that resulted in fatalities rose by 50 percent, as well. One conclusion that they found was that there is a greater risk of death or injury when the roads are clearer.
According to the NHTSA, speed was the main cause of the rise in car accident fatalities. Furthermore, the CTS study concluded that, more specifically, the increase in average speed caused the increased number of fatalities. The study also identified two other risk factors that contributed to the surge: impaired driving due to drugs or alcohol and distracted driving.
Car Accident Death Rates in 2020
The National Safety Council, a leading nonprofit safety advocate, reported that 42,060 people died in crashes in 2020. The number of car accident deaths rose by 24 percent from the previous 12-month period. This was the first time that the number of fatal car accidents went up in four years. Here are some more staggering statistics:
- The sharp increase of U.S. deaths from vehicle accidents marked a 13-year high despite fewer miles driven by Americans during the pandemic.
- Motorists drove 13 percent fewer miles nationwide.
- The increased number of car accident fatalities is the highest estimated year-over-year jump that was calculated since 1924, over 96 years ago.
- Besides the fatalities, 4.8 million people were also seriously injured in crashes in 2020
Need a Car Accident Lawyer? Contact Tate Law Today
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident during the pandemic, you will need an experienced Texas car accident lawyer to fight for your rights and get you the compensation that you deserve. Tate Law Offices, P.C. has a more than 99 percent success rate. We have also won over 3,000 cases and have been recognized by the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum as a result.
Our esteemed legal team can help with every aspect of your case. We can refer you to a doctor. We can even help you get your car repaired or replaced, as well as access a rental car for free.
Call Tate Law Offices, P.C. or contact us online today for a free case review. We are your Dallas car accident attorneys, and we are committed to seeking the maximum recovery that you deserve.
Tim received a business degree in finance from Southern Methodist University and a Juris Doctor (law degree) from South Texas College of Law. Over the last two decades Tim has represented victims of injuries day-in and day-out throughout the state of Texas as well as in numerous other states throughout America. Tim’s mission on every case is always to get the insurance company of the defendant to pay top dollar for his client’s case, which allows his clients to put the maximum amount of money into their pocket.
