The United States is reporting a reduction in the number of car accident fatalities through the first half of 2013. During the first 6 months of the year, our nation saw roughly 16,100 traffic accident fatalities. During the same time in 2012, more than 16,600 road deaths were recorded. This is a reduction of about 5 percent, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).
While the nation is boasting about a 5 percent decrease, the state of Arizona reduced accident fatalities by just 1 percent. And while that’s still better than nothing, it shows us that we have a long way to go.
Our Mesa car accident attorneys understand that there were close to 420 people killed in traffic accidents in the state of Arizona during the first 6 months of this year. During the same time in 2012, we saw close to 430 fatalities. With the winter tourist season just around the corner, the most dangerous months of the year are ahead.
Whether heavy rains or dust storms, Arizona weather can also create plenty of havoc for travelers. With heavy dust rolling through the state, the Arizona Department of Transportation has 10 tips to keep you safe while driving:
-If you can, try to avoid driving through a dust storm.
-If you see a dust storm approaching, your best bet is to pull over as soon as possible.
-Never stop in a traffic lane. When stopping, you want to make sure that you’re safely pulled over into an emergency lane or a paved shoulder of the road.
-Turn off the vehicle once stopped. This includes your emergency flashers.
-Put the vehicle in park and activate the emergency brake.
-While waiting out a dust storm, stay in the vehicle with your seat belt securely fastened.
-Once the storm has passed, make sure that you check in all directions for any oncoming traffic.
In the state of Arizona, there were more than 103,000 motor vehicle accidents reported in 2012. There were more than 33,000 injury accidents reported. About 825 people were killed in 2012. When you break this down, an average of 2.25 people were killed each and every day. That’s one person every 10.65 hours. Someone was injured every 10.59 minutes, too.
In addition, there were more than 69,000 property-damage accidents. Urban areas were more dangerous than rural areas, witnessing more than 83,000 accidents in comparison to the 20,000 observed in rural areas.
Alcohol-related accidents accounted for more than a third of all fatal accidents. And these are fatalities, injuries and accidents that are completely preventable. Other common factors in Arizona car accidents include distracted driving and speeding. These factors can be easily changed with a little effort from drivers, and that effort will go a long way in helping to preserve the safety of everyone out there on our roadways.
And it’s not just the motorists who are injured in traffic accidents. Pedestrians and bicyclists are affected by dangerous driving habits, too. In 2012, there were more than 130 pedestrians and close to 20 bicyclists killed in traffic accidents in Arizona.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, contact our Mesa injury attorneys at (480) 833-1113.
