Deadly motor vehicle accidents cause tens of thousands of fatalities every year in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, more than 42,000 lives were taken in motor vehicle accidents in 2020, which was an 8 percent rise over 2019. Several million more people were seriously injured in crashes.
It appears that the pace of motor vehicle deaths rose last year. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that traffic fatalities rose at a record pace in the first nine months of 2021, compared to the same period of 2020.
The motor vehicle deaths that occurred from January to September, 2021, were 12 percent higher than the number of deaths from the same nine-month period in 2020: 31,720 fatalities vs. 28,325. Vehicle miles traveled increased as well, but the fatalities are still alarming.
Causes of Fatal Accidents
The causes of these crashes are the same as all types of crashes:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving (including texting while driving)
- Reckless driving
- Failure to yield
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or medications
- Fatigued driving
The overwhelming majority of car accidents are entirely preventable. It is one motorist’s error that leads to the crash.
Tragically, as the family of someone killed in a crash caused by someone else, your grief and suffering may be compounded by the fact that it was someone’s carelessness that led to the fatality. Our experienced attorneys know just how devastating these situations are because we work with families like yours every day. Our experienced team will fight passionately on your behalf, so that you can pay for funeral expenses, loss of your loved one’s financial contributions, your pain and suffering, and all of the other ways your life has been affected by this tragedy.
What To Do After a Fatal Car Accident
If you lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s carelessness, you deserve justice and maximum wrongful death compensation. To discuss your claim with an experienced accident lawyer in Columbia, MO, please call the law firm of Holder Susan Slusher at 573-499-1700.