North Carolina sees uptick in fatal crashes in 2020

North Carolina sees uptick in fatal crashes in 2020
Jan 18 2021

2020 saw fewer cars on the road as many people worked from home, opted for “staycations” rather than lengthy road trips and generally stayed home rather than go out. Despite this, North Carolina saw more than 1,500 car crash fatalities for the first time in 13 years.

The statistics

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the number of miles people drove in the state went down 19% in North Carolina. However, the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents went up 8% in 2020 compared to 2019. The NCDOT reports that there were 1,491 fatal motor vehicle accidents in North Carolina in 2020 even though there were 24 billion fewer miles driven in 2020 compared to 2019.

Why the uptick in fatal crashes?

There are a variety of reasons why we are seeing an uptick in fatal crashes. People may be distracted behind the wheel, thinking about topics such as health and finances rather than paying attention to the road. In addition, with fewer vehicles on the road, more people drove above the posted speed limit. Heavy traffic may be annoying, but it is harder to speed when roads are congested.

Wrongful death claims

Those who lost a loved one in a car crash last year may have many concerns. They may have suffered financial losses, emotional trauma and more. When this happens, they may choose to learn more about filing a wrongful death claim in order to pursue compensation for the damages they suffered. Our firm’s webpage on wrongful death has information that readers may find useful.

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