Last year, there were 38,680 deaths on U.S. Roadways, the most since 2007. In spite of reduced driving due to the COVID pandemic, deaths surged to record highs. From personal experience, it appears to me that serious injuries on the road have also surged during that same time period. What gives? How do we fix it? Researchers at the National Safety Council thought that although there was an initial surge in 2020, that in 2021, when traffic normalized and folks were done releasing pent up stress on the wide-open roads, that safer driving would return. They were wrong. The latest evidence suggests that after decades of safety gains, the pandemic has made U.S. drivers more reckless — more likely to speed, drink or use drugs while behind the wheel, and leave their seatbelts unbuckled.

Driving Safety Tips

The point of all of this is that it is more dangerous on the roads than it was in 2019. Be careful. Slow down. Don’t drive while consuming alcohol or drugs that can impair you. Use your seat belt. Don’t drive distracted by a cell phone. Drive defensively. If you happen to encounter others who do not use common sense and injure you or a loved one, the compassionate attorneys at McCraw Law Group are a phone call away.