There are plenty of things that you might think will cause the number of fatal traffic accidents: bad weather, unsafe cars, kids (and adults) texting while driving. But did you know that there is a sad link between how well the nation’s economy is doing and the number of people who die on our nation’s roads?
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration analyzed the data and found that when the economy is doing better, more people die in traffic accidents. That’s right, when things are going well for the country’s finances, things get worse on the roads.
Why? Because the unemployment rate is lower, more people are working, which means people have more money and spend more time outside of the house. That may mean that people go on more trips. Or that instead of cooking dinner at home, they drive to a restaurant and eat a family dinner. Or their job may mean that they are having to travel for work. All of those reasons mean that the “Vehicle Miles Travelled” goes up and when the VMT is up, so are the number of fatalities on the roads.
There is also a link between lower gas prices and increased fatal crashes.
A similar link was found between lower gas prices and higher fatalities. Just like with the unemployment rate, when people have more money in their pocket, they will travel more. And unfortunately that means more chances for an accident.
Please stay safe on the roads and know that if there is a downturn in the economy, at least it may keep people safer on the roads.
If you or your loved ones have been the victims of a car accident, call us at (205) 322-1201. We would like to help.