COVID-19 and Traffic Safety

By James A. Cleaver, Esq.

Alexander & Cleaver Professional Association

. https://www.alexander-cleaver.com

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COVID-19 and Traffic Safety

Under the heading ‘nothing good came out of the pandemic’, you can add car accidents and traffic deaths.

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety highlights the deadly impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traffic safety. Between May 2020 and December 2022, there were 114,528 deaths in car crashes in the United States. This was a 17% increase from what was expected under pre-pandemic trends.

There were troubling findings in the study, which included increases in fatal crashes across all age groups, with men disproportionally affected. Most deaths occurred among young adults in the 20 – 24 age group. In 2021 the highest death toll was among teens in the 16 – 19 age group.

More worrisome findings were the impact on minorities. African Americans make up 12% of the United States population yet 34% of the entire rise in traffic fatalities were suffered by these Americans. Hispanics incurred 25% of the increase in deaths from traffic accidents

What was the cause of these troubling findings? The AAA Foundation identified several factors:

• Risky driving – Speeding and driving under the influence was a major cause of traffic accident deaths.
• Failure to wear seatbelts – The increase in deaths from automobile accidents for occupants was almost entirely attributable to failure to wear a seatbelt.
• Time of day – While traffic congestion decreased dramatically during the pandemic, there was a significant increase in late-night and early-morning fatal traffic crashes.

What can you do to protect yourself and your family beyond the obvious choices of not drinking and driving and driving at a safe speed? There is an old saying that coaches tell their athletes: “Nothing good happens after midnight”. It is best to keep young people off the road during those times. Make sure that everyone in your vehicle wears a seatbelt. I recently handled a bad car crash where a 6-year-old in a car seat was thrown face-first into the seat in front of her. While she suffered significant bruising and swelling, she eventually healed and had no permanent injury. That highlights the value of wearing a seatbelt.

You should also review your automobile insurance policy. Do you have only minimum limits ($30,000 per person/$60,000 total per accident in Maryland. Virginia and the District of Columbia have similar minimum limits)? If you do, you are woefully underinsured to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and discomfort in all but the most minor of accidents. You should check with an attorney or experienced insurance agent to determine if you are adequately insured.