After years of declining crash rates, the last few years have experienced a reversal of that trend. An increase in unsafe traffic behaviors, including distracted and drunk driving, has negatively impacted the number of fatal and catastrophic collisions around the United States.
Georgia has certainly seen a worrisome increase in collisions that could potentially impact the safety of everyone operating or riding in a motor vehicle in an ongoing fashion. According to statewide traffic collision statistics, Georgia has become a particularly dangerous place for motorists in recent years.
What does recent collision data show?
Based on statewide crash information collected in 2020, car crashes are still one of the most common causes of premature death in Georgia. In fact, it is the second leading cause of death and also the second leading cause of hospitalizations. It is also the second most-commonly reported reason people give for seeking medical care at an emergency room. The one exception is for those between the ages of five and 14, for whom traffic collisions are currently the top cause of premature death.
When compared with other states, Georgia is one of the most dangerous places to drive. It had the fourth-highest number of traffic deaths in 2020 even though it has the eighth-largest population. At least 1,664 people lost their lives in collisions in Georgia in 2020. Thousands of others experienced collisions that put them in the hospital or required emergency medical care. A large number of those collisions involved pedestrians or bicyclists, and many of them left people with financial expenses that they could not cover with just insurance. People often end up going to court when a crash causes major personal injuries or leads to someone dying.
What does this mean for those who worry about their safety?
Motorists concerned about traffic safety in Georgia may want to invest in vehicles with better safety ratings the next time they make a purchase. They may also want to refresh themselves on best practices for mitigating crash risk in traffic. It’s also important to have a plan in place for how someone should respond to a wreck if one occurs.
Engaging in defensive driving, carefully maintaining vehicles and watching for bad habits in others can all help people to avoid being injured in a serious wreck. In the event that a collision does occur, though, it’s important to keep in mind that seeking legal guidance to explore one’s rights and options is always an opportunity available to crash victims.
