{"id":2769,"date":"2016-12-19T14:18:11","date_gmt":"2016-12-19T20:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/local.usagencies.com\/?p=2769"},"modified":"2019-08-01T00:11:59","modified_gmt":"2019-08-01T00:11:59","slug":"dire-news-for-2016-as-us-traffic-fatalities-rise-10-percent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usagencies.confiedevstg.com\/blog\/auto-accidents\/dire-news-for-2016-as-us-traffic-fatalities-rise-10-percent\/","title":{"rendered":"Dire News for 2016 as US Traffic Fatalities Rise 10 Percent"},"content":{"rendered":"

You typically want to end the year on a positive note. But, when you\u2019re talking about annual traffic fatality statistics, 2016 shows the largest rise since 1996 in motor vehicle-related deaths going into the new year. And, that\u2019s not a positive note.<\/p>\n

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Traffic Deaths Rise 10.4 Percent<\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, 2016 could easily surpass 2015 in the number of road deaths, which doesn\u2019t bode well for next year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s<\/a> preliminary data<\/a> for the first six months of 2016, deaths on U.S. roads rose by 10.4 percent over the same period in 2015.<\/p>\n

Even more alarming is that the data has not been finalized. Yet, current statistics show that an estimated 17,775 people have already died in motor vehicle accidents in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, when there were 16,100 reported fatalities.<\/p>\n

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Deadliest Six Months Since 2008 <\/strong><\/p>\n

This dire news confirms that the first six months of the year were effectively the deadliest on record since 2008, when 17,894 people were reported killed in traffic accidents across the nation. And, while auto insurance companies and researchers are concerned by the trend, assigning blame for the increase in fatalities falls into two possible categories.<\/p>\n

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Assigning Blame for Increase in Fatalities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some experts believe the rise in deaths is due to drivers spending more time behind the wheel, which is up 3.3 percent from 2015. In the first half of 2016, American drivers put a total of 1.58 trillion miles on their odometers. And, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicles miles driven also showed an increase of 1.12 fatalities, up from the 1.05 fatalities per 100 miles recorded in 2015.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, others blame the rise in highway deaths on cellphone use and the obvious risks associated with it. In recent years, distracted driving has contributed to a significant number of injuries and deaths to motorists. This includes texting or conversing on your phone when driving.<\/p>\n

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Avoid Becoming a Statistic Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

To avoid becoming a statistic yourself you may want to follow the following safety tips:<\/p>\n