[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The COVID-19 global pandemic closed schools, forced many businesses to scale back operations, and led many employees to begin working from home. These actions resulted in a significant drop of vehicles on the roads over the past year. Now, with businesses beginning to operate at a higher capacity, some children attending in-person learning, and workers returning to the job site, and vaccinations in full swing, traffic in Southern California is approaching pre-pandemic levels. It is unknown what affect the return to normal traffic will have on road safety.
Now, one might assume that with more vehicles on the road the dangers might increase, but that may not necessarily be true. It may see counterintuitive, but in 2020, with fewer vehicles on the road and fewer miles driven, the total number of traffic-related fatalities increased 8 percent in 2020 over 2019. Traffic deaths had been steadily falling since 2016 but reversed during the pandemic. According to the National Safety Council, the fatality rate per 100 million miles driven increased 24% last year, its largest ever recorded increase. The total number of 2020 traffic deaths in the US was the highest seen since 2007.
With fewer vehicles on the road, many drivers adopted incredibly bad driving behaviors. Early in the pandemic, the number of tickets issued for driving over 100mph surged in California. Driving experts are unsure if the bad behaviors will abate with the return to normal traffic levels. The Law Offices of Scott Warmuth encourages responsible driving. If you are getting back on the road, please be courteous to all the other drivers on the roads!
In the event that your driving courtesy is not returned and someone crashes into your vehicle, our team of car accident lawyers can help you seek medical treatment, repair your vehicle, recover lost wages, and seek compensation for your pain and suffering. Our auto accident injury experts provide 100% free consultations and case evaluations. Call us at 888-517-9888 today![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
