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Increasing numbers of traffic fatalities

On Behalf of | Mar 2, 2017 | Car Accidents |

Reports from the National Safety Council indicate that the number of car accident fatalities rose significantly between 2015 and 2016. Its data shows that approximately 40,000 people died in automobile accidents during 2016, many of which took place in West Virginia, and it represented a 6 percent increase. Compared to 2014, there has been a 14 percent increase in fatalities, which is the biggest two-year increase in more than 50 years.

Along with a large number of deadly accidents, there were about 4.6 million people who were seriously injured in accidents in 2016. The costs to people and society are very high, and the NSC reports that between property damage, medical bills, lost wages and productivity and deaths, the accidents in 2016 cost about $432 billion.

While some attribute the increase in deaths to a growing number of people spending more time on the road thanks to lower gas prices, an NSC survey indicates that dangerous behavior behind the wheel may also have played a significant role. Although more than four-fifths of respondents stated that safety was a concern while they were on the road, large numbers of those same people said that they had texted while driving.

People who have been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another motorist will often seek compensation for expenses related to it through insurance claims. Insurance companies provide reimbursement or pay for costs directly related to an accident. In many cases, insurance providers will attempt to get people to settle for an amount that will not cover their losses, and in such a case a personal injury attorney might find it advisable to take the case to trial.