The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday that 2012 saw a 3.3% increase in road deaths.  This was the first increase since 2005.

Here is a quick run down of the facts reported –

    • Driving fatalities increased by 4.6% in 2012
    • The number of people injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes increased 6.5% in 2012, the first statistically significant increase since 1995
    • Injuries among pedestrians increased 10% in 2012
    • Total crashes reported to police rose 5.2% in 2012
    • Motorcycle rider fatalities increased for the third straight year in 2012 – a 7.1% increase over 2011
    • In states without a universal helmet law, 10 times as many riders died than states with such helmet laws
    • The number of people injured in distraction-affected crashes increased 9%
    • The fatality rate increased 3.6% per 100 million miles traveled in 2012

Here are some (semi) promising statistics –

    • Even with slight increases in road deaths, the totals are still close to a 60-year-low.
    • Estimates on traffic deaths for the first half of 2013 show a 4.2% decrease
    • The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased from 3,360 (2011) to 3,328 (2012)

Even with the few promising statistics, the negative far outweighs the positive.

What do the Tennessee statistics look like?

“Highway deaths claim more than 30,000 lives each year, and while we’ve made substantial progress over the past 50 years, it’s clear that we have much more work to do,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Foxx went on to state the importance of a more focused future in protecting the safety of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians across the nation.

David Strickland, the NHTSA Administrator, called these statistics “disappointing.”

I agree with Strickland – these are very disappointing statistics.

It’s even more disappointing knowing many of these injuries and fatalities can be avoided by simple actions such as wearing a helmet or putting your cell phone away.

There are times when the accident is not your fault at all.

Have you been injured in a road accident and it wasn’t your fault?  We can help. When it comes to working with an auto accident lawyer Memphis, TN places its trust in, Darrell Castle & Associates strives to be the best.

Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to avoid a crash, but a qualified attorney can help you avoid other pitfalls as you deal with insurance companies.

If this is you, contact us online today or call us at (901) 327-1212.