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BIKLaw Medical Malpractice Lawyer > Car Accident > Are We Driving More Safely?

When it comes to traffic accidents and traffic fatalities, it feels rare to hear good news. After all, all you have to do is turn to your local news site and there’s sure to be an article or two about the most recent highway crash and the ensuing consequences.
 
It appears, though, that there has been good news in recent years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released the 2013 data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), and it looks like roadway deaths have been on the decline. According to the data, there was a 3.1 percent decrease in traffic fatalities compared the statistics from the previous year.
 
As well, the data show a nearly 25 percent decline in overall roadway deaths since 2004. Highway fatality rates are now at a historic low: in 2013, there were 1.10 deaths per million vehicle miles traveled, compared to the 1.14 deaths per million vehicle miles in 2012.
 
The number of passenger vehicle occupants – passenger vehicles include passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans – killed in traffic crashes in 2013 also saw a decline of three percent, with 21,132 deaths. For the first time since 2009, large truck occupant and motorcyclist deaths from traffic crashes also showed a decline. While pedestrian fatalities declined by 1.7 percent, to 4,735 deaths, such fatalities were still 15 percent higher than the historic low of 4,109 pedestrian deaths recorded in 2009.
 
Despite the decline, it’s important to remember that people lose their lives every day as a result of traffic accidents. As HTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman notes, “Almost 90 people on average lose their lives each day – and more than 250 are injured every hour – due to drunk driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and the many other factors associated with traffic crashes.”
 
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Los Angeles accident, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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