Car Accident Wrongful Deaths Increase
As Miami car accident attorneys, we are always excited to report news of deceases in roadway deaths; sadly, however, we’ve come across a recent study from the NHTSA which shows that wrongful deaths from traffic accidents experienced its first increase in more than seven years. Despite ongoing education efforts and increased law enforcement, deaths from motor vehicle collision were up more than five percent over last year.
While experts had apparently anticipated an increase, in-step with improvements in the country’s economic situation, as highway traffic rose by almost a third of a percent last year, unfortunately the rate at which deaths occur is expected to rise by more than 6 tenths of a percent. This increase is the first in more than a seven year period which has provided about a 25% drop in traffic fatalities.
The data also revealed that motorcycle related deaths rose almost 10% over prior year, and now make up almost 15% of all vehicle wrongful deaths. This increase is particularly alarming in Florida, where we have no mandatory helmet laws. We certainly hope that the recently passed ban on texting bill will help stem the tide on distracted driving’s role in this rise in fatalities, making Florida’s roadways safer.