The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently released a very sobering study. According to the details revealed in this work, the number of fatal traffic incidents in Florida has risen sharply. This is true for traffic crashes across the U.S. Deaths in nearly every single state have risen.
Traffic deaths are more numerous than ever
The total number of motor vehicle accidents recorded in Florida and the rest of the U.S. through 2021 was shocking to many industry experts. The total was given as 42,915. This figure represents an increase over the number for 2020, which was 38,824. The number of deaths rose in almost every state in the U.S., including Florida.
Experts have blamed the rising number of deaths on a multitude of possible factors. Among them has been an increase in the number of people engaging in unsafe driving practices, such as speeding. Accidents were also caused by people driving while impaired or distracted as well as not using their seat belts.
Numbers have risen since the pandemic began
The number of deaths due to fatal car crashes has risen sharply since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. After a period of staying home during the lockdown, drivers have returned to the road in record numbers. As a result, the number of accidents they have caused has also rocketed to a high not seen in many years.
The figure of 42,915 recorded in 2021 represents a jump of 10.5% over the previous number. This is the highest jump seen by the NHTSA since they first began recording these numbers in 1975.
The grotesquely high number of traffic fatalities was not limited to any single gender or age group. Over 118 people of all ages and backgrounds died each day in 2021.