The latest figures are not yet in on Philadelphia auto accidents, however it is known that throughout the United States motor vehicle deaths had been on a steady decline in the decade leading to 2016. That fact alone would seem to make sense since cars appear to be getting safer, given continual advances in auto safety technology, design and construction.  In fact, more than 20% of 17.5 million vehicles produced for the 2017 model  year were equipped with so-called advanced driver assisted systems (ADAS) as opposed to only 8% of vehicles just two years ago. Despite such advances the downward trend in traffic deaths has unfortunately not lasted. In fact, U.S. motor vehicle deaths in 2017 remained near decade-high levels, capping off the steepest increase in over 50 years. The National Safety Council announced on February 15 that there were 40,100 traffic-related fatalities last year, the second year in a row they passed the 40,000 mark. NSC has tracked fatality trends and issued estimates for nearly 100 years. Some automotive executives have pointed to the role of driver's increased use of smartphones as a factor in making roads less safe for drivers and pedestrians. A group of lawmakers have implicated the opioid crisis and the impact of legalization of marijuana as part of the role of drugs in impaired driving and traffic deaths. In support of that premise, one lawmaker cited a study finding drugs are more prevalent in test results than alcohol of fatally injured drivers.

"The price we are paying  for mobility is 40,000 lives each year", said NSC president and CEO Deborah H.P. Hershman. This is a stark reminder that our complacency is killing us. The only acceptable number is zero; we need to mobilize a full court press to improve roadway safety. The same things that are killing us for decades are still killing us", she opines.

The figures are troubling nonetheless when we consider that as of 2015, the most recent year from which data from the Organization For Economic Cooperation is available; there were 109 traffic deaths per 1 million people in the U.S. compared with countries that have been cutting road fatalities at a brisker pace such as Germany's 29 per million and the U.K's 44 deaths per million.

It seems clear that distracted and impaired drivers are major factors in causing fatal traffic accidents. I, for one am curious to see why there are so many less traffic fatalities in the U.K. Germany and Japan and perhaps learn what we could do better here in the U.S. and for that matter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Based upon these major factors, It would not be surprising to learn that Philadelphia and Reading Pennsylvania mirror the U.S. statistics mentioned here.

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured in a car accident in central to eastern Pennsylvania, Call the Brod Law Firm today for a thorough discussion of your legal rights at 1-888-435-7946 or contact us online for a free consultation.