According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the streets have become a little safer for Buffalo drivers over the past four years. Earlier this year, NHTSA released a report documenting that the number of fatalities in car crashes decreased from 2008 to 2009. Since peaking in 2005, fatalities caused by car accidents in the United States have declined every year.
In 2008, there were 37,261 motor vehicle fatalities nationally. This declined to 33,963 in 2009, a decrease of 8.9%. The biggest single recorded drop occurred the year before, which saw a 10.5% drop from the 41,259 traffic fatalities reported in 2007. Overall, motor vehicle fatalities have dropped approximately 22% over the past four years.
While there may be several reasons for this decrease, vehicles with safety features such as side airbags and increased seatbelt usage are likely to be significant factors in this decrease. This would seem to be especially true given that the Federal Highway Administration reported an increase in total vehicle miles driven in the U.S. from 2008 to 2009. Increased travel with decreased fatalities has resulted in 2009 recording the lowest motor vehicle fatality rates ever documented, with 1.16 motor vehicle fatalities occurring per every million miles traveled on U.S. roads.
If you have lost a loved one in an motor vehicle accident and need advice, please feel free to call my office at 716-542-5444. We would be happy to help you.
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