An improving economy, in many ways, is a good thing. Home values go up, companies thrive, jobs are created and much more.
Unfortunately, some economic experts believe that it can also be deadly. Specifically, as the economy has gotten better, they’re seen an increase in traffic accidents and deaths.
One Texas county alone saw an increase between 2012 and 2016 of right around 20 percent. There were 590 deaths on the road in 2012, in the wake of the economic crash, and 715 in 2016.
The national trend is not quite as dramatic, but it also shows an increase. Between just 2015 and 2016, the amount of fatalities went up by about 6 percent. The National Safety Council reported that over 40,000 people were killed, the first time the numbers had crossed that barrier in about a decade.
The economy is not the only factor. They also blamed distracted driving. But financial measures do play a huge role.
More jobs mean more people on the road, commuting to work. More money means more people going out to bars, restaurants and entertainment venues, rather than staying home on the weekends. More money that isn’t needed for monthly bills also just means more vacations and leisure travel, one of the first things to go when people decide that they need to do whatever they can to pinch pennies.
As the amount of accidents and deaths continues to rise, it’s very important for people to know their legal rights. When another driver causes an accident, perhaps while distracted by a cell phone, those who are hurt may have a right to compensation.
Source: Houston Chronicle, “New report shows why most people crash in Houston-area,” Fernando Ramirez, accessed Nov. 24, 2017