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How the Pandemic Made American Roads Less Safe

Tuesday, 29 December 2020 02:10 PM

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 29, 2020 / Ehline Law Firm:

Increasingly Deadly on the Road
The pandemic has cost hundreds of thousands of lives across the country. Unfortunately, the effects of the Coronavirus also caused severe issues across the country's roads. Despite lower raw numbers of deaths on America's freeways and streets, there is a sharply higher rate of death since March 2020.

The conventional wisdom is that the roads in the country are more safe due to fewer people out and about. And to a certain extent, that's true. There are significantly fewer drivers on the road at any given time. Between fears of the virus and working from home, there just isn't as much reason to leave the house. Put them together, and you can see why your daily commute might not be as long or as crowded lately.

That being said, fewer people on the road doesn't mean that things are safer. In point of fact, since March certain parts of driving have become more dangerous. This is even more dangerous because many drivers not only do not expect this, but also do not plan for this.

And it's not just a matter of driving, either. Traveling on foot or on bicycle now is more dangerous than it was before. The effects of not having as many people out on the road leads to lapses in driving. Drivers that were used to heavy congestion or certain traffic patterns are now dealing with streets that are fundamentally different than they were last year.

Dealing with Fatality Rates
The raw number of accidents and fatal crashes have decreased since the start of the pandemic. This all seems like good news until you understand the important elements of the rates of accidents and fatalities. The sheer number of people dying on America's roadways actually decreased in 2020 because fewer people hit the roads.

However, the rate in which people died on the road is higher. If you drove this year, you had an increased chance of a fatal accident. On top of that, add the additional danger of contracting COVID due to contact with medical professionals. The risk of a severe injury, illness, or even death is terribly high in 2020 and into 2021.

We write about this and other related issues on our Ehline Law legal blog. There are many elements of road safety that drivers do not immediately consider before getting behind the wheel. There are more road hazards than poor weather, drunk drivers, and wild animals. Knowing more about the conditions of the road and potential obstacles will make your drive safer.

Understanding the Stats
Part of the issue behind the increased rate of death has to do with the new traffic patterns caused by the Coronavirus. With emptier streets, people tend to drive faster and more recklessly. This dramatically increases the chances of death. The AP recently reported on the potential issues surrounding this:

According to this Associated Press news article, "in April, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported that emptier streets may be encouraging drivers to flout traffic safety laws. Many states reported dramatic increases in speeding. In Los Angeles, speeds were up by as much as 30% on some streets, while authorities in Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska and Utah clocked vehicles going over 100 mph, the association said."

For more info, follow our law firm on both Coronavirus and traffic safety statistics and tips.

Works Cited
The Associated Press: "US roadway death rate up in March despite virus restrictions"

Contact:
Michael Ehline
[email protected]

SOURCE: Ehline Law Firm

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