Drivers continue to struggle to obey state laws that prevent cell phone use, due in part by demands or pressure from work that lead drivers to read or send emails while driving.
A monthly analysis has shown that the roads have become deadlier despite less traffic, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to disturbing traffic safety trends this year.
The National Safety Council (NSC) says an estimated 44,000 serious injuries and 390 deaths will occur on U.S. roadways during the upcoming Labor Day holiday period.
Estimates show a year-over-year 36.6% jump in fatality rates per miles driven in April, in spite of an 18% drop in the total number of roadway deaths compared to April 2019.
There was a 14% year-over-year jump in fatality rates per miles driven in March 2020, while the actual number of miles driven dropped 18.6% compared to the same time period last year.
An estimated 38,800 people were killed in automotive collisions in 2019, which translates into a 2% decline as compared with the 39,404 fatalities in 2018.
Motor vehicle crashes and falls remained the leading causes of preventable death on the job in 2018, as preventable and unintentional workplace deaths continue their rise in recent years, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
As many as 417 people could lose their lives in motor vehicle collisions this Thanksgiving Day holiday compared to an estimated 433 a year ago, which represents a 4% drop in the fatality estimate, according to the National Safety Council.
Four organizations – AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and the National Safety Council – have come together to adopt standardized naming for advanced driver assistance technology in an effort to reduce confusion.
Approximately 398 people could lose their lives and another 45,300 could suffer serious injuries on roadways over the Labor Day weekend, according to the National Safety Council's estimate, which is the lowest it has issued for the three-day holiday period since 2015.