The National Safety Council has a preliminary report out on car crash fatalities in 2019, and the numbers, while still significantly high, reflect a positive trend. Kentucky drivers should know that an estimated 38,800 people died in car accidents that year: 2% fewer than in 2018 and 4% fewer than in 2017. There was also a 2% decline in the number of people who sought medical attention after a crash (4.4 million in all).
Possible reasons for the improvement
While the NSC report did not touch on the possible causes for the decline, there are a few possible explanations. More vehicles are coming with advanced driver-assistance systems, for example, and the features that compose them have been proven to prevent crashes or at least reduce their severity.
Another important development is how many cities are implementing safety measures based on the Vision Zero strategy to reduce all car crash fatalities to zero in the future. Some states are cracking down on DUI, with Utah being the first state to lower the legal limit for blood alcohol content from .08 to .05.
Some states saw an increase in deaths
Those states that experienced the most improvement included Vermont (31% fewer crash fatalities) and New Hampshire (30%). Other states, though, saw an increase, in particular Maine (35%), Wyoming (32%) and Delaware (20%).
An attorney for a wrongful death suit
Perhaps a loved one died at the hands of a drunk, drowsy or distracted driver. This can open up the way for a wrongful death lawsuit, but since pursuing one can be a stressful process, you may want an attorney by your side. The attorney may strive for a settlement out of court that covers loss of support and consortium, funeral and burial expenses, pre-death medical bills and other damages.