U.S. Traffic Deaths Remain a Problem Even After Minor Improvement

Car accident fatalities remained high nationwide during the first nine months of last year, according to the latest statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as reported by the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA).

"A reduction in roadway fatalities is welcome, but the 0.2 percent decline announced by NHTSA follows an unprecedented two-year surge in roadway deaths and dangerous driving," the GHSA reported.

Sadly, car accident deaths in Florida remained just as bad in the last two years, according to car accident data collected by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

Nationwide, car accident fatalities remain high.

Recently, the NHTSA released preliminary car accident death data estimates for the first nine months of last year. During that period, 31,785 people died in motor vehicle accidents. That figure is 65 deaths lower or 0.2 percent less compared to the same nine-month period in 2021 nationwide.

But while car accident deaths were lower in 2022, they're significantly higher compared to other previous years. For example, in 2020 and 2021, car accident fatalities soared higher nationwide, despite fewer drivers on the road due to the pandemic. In 2020, car accident deaths increased by 7.2 percent. The following year, car accident deaths increased by another 10.5 percent, according to a report by the GHSA.

Roadway deaths regularly increase in Florida.

Like the rest of the U.S., car accident fatalities in Florida have increased dramatically since 2019. According to NHTSA data, that year, there were 3,185 car accident deaths in Florida. The following year, Florida car accident fatalities increased by 4.5 percent compared to 2019. That trend continued the following year when car accident deaths in Florida increased by 12.3 percent to 3,741 fatalities in 2021 compared to 2020.

And like the rest of the nation, car accident fatalities in Florida decreased in 2022 but were still significantly higher compared to many other previous years. Specifically, Florida motor vehicle accident fatalities decreased by 8.2 percent in 2022 to 3,434 deaths.

How do fatal crashes occur?

According to the GHSA, some of the most common causes of car accident deaths last year and in recent years nationwide include "speeding, impaired and distracted driving, and lack of seat belt use."

The same is true in Florida, where fatal car crashes caused by speeding, distracted, and drunk drivers remain a problem. Car accident fatalities involving impaired drivers, in particular, were the second highest in a decade in 2020, when there were 871 drunk driving deaths in Florida, according to NHTSA data.

Talk to a Central Florida car accident attorney about your rights and options.

Fatal car accident claims and lawsuits in Florida can quickly turn into complicated legal cases. Because a death occurred in a car crash, the financial impact may be significant. In particular, surviving family members may be eligible to recover compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs, and lost future income.

Unfortunately, the at-fault party – and their insurance company – often does everything possible to pay surviving family members as little as possible or nothing at all.

At the Law Offices of Brent Miller, P.A., we are here to help. When you have our legal team on your side, you can ensure that your fatal car accident claim or lawsuit gets the attention it deserves.

Put your trust in a law firm that puts your family's best interests first. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with a Central Florida car accident attorney who will fight for the justice and financial compensation your family deserves.

We offer legal representation on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing up front or out of pocket, and you pay no fees unless we win your case. Talk to a lawyer at one of our four offices in Central Florida, including offices in Tavares, Inverness, Clermont, and The Villages.