Safety improvements and driving

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Car Accidents, on Wednesday, November 25, 2015

In Massachusetts, people face risks every time they get into a motor vehicle. Driving a vehicle is much riskier than riding in a plane as people have a 300-times greater risk of dying in a car crash than they do of dying in an airplane disaster.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32,719 people were killed in U.S. motor vehicle accidents in 2013. Since 1968, the federal government has responded to the risks of motor vehicles by implementing safety standards, such as mandating seat belts in cars. The NHTSA estimates that the safety standards have saved about 11,575 people every year. In 2012, the NHTSA indicated that improved safety measures saved 27,600 lives. Other ways the risks can be reduced include improving the behavior of drivers and people simply choosing to live closer to their jobs. Improving driver behavior is more difficult, but improvements over the years have been made through better regulation and enforcement of existing laws. The NHTSA analyzed the effect of people moving 2 miles closer to their workplaces. According to their data, doing so would save 547 additional lives every year since people would be commuting significantly less over the time period.The risk of being in an auto accident remains high. While people may be able to control their own driving behavior, they cannot control the behavior of other drivers around them on the road. When a person sees someone driving erratically, he or she should call 911 to help prevent accidents. In the event a person is severely injured in an accident caused by a careless driver, the injured victim may want to meet with a personal injury attorney. A lawyer may be able to negotiate a settlement that would help cover any resulting medical costs.