As the economy improves and more people get back to work, roadways are getting jammed, leading to an increase in fatal car accidents.The economic improvement in the United States is having some unintended consequences, including an increase in fatal car accidents. As the labor market improves, more people are commuting to work, and cities across the country are reporting a rise in car crashes and fatal accidents.
“The positive rise in employment rates leads to more people on the road, and more congestion,” says Las Vegas auto accident attorney George T. Bochanis. “Traffic congestion, especially during peak commute times, leads to more aggressive and distracted driving.”
Studies in major metropolitan areas across the United States all point to the same conclusion. During the first half of 2015, traffic deaths rose by 14%, compared to the same period, the year before, according to the National Safety Council. Close to 19,000 traffic deaths occurred during that time and 2.2 million people sustained serious injuries.
A better job market might not be the only contributing factor to this deadly increase. Falling gas prices have more motorists on the road. The Federal Highway Administration reported that Americans travelled over 6 billion more miles during the first eight months of 2015, than the year before, higher than any year on record.
Americans are also spending more time sitting in traffic. A study by researchers at Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that American travelers spent an additional seven billion hours dealing with traffic jams than they would have if the roads had been clear.
Employment rates continue to grow, and much of this growth is concentrated in large urban areas. The Las Vegas metro area is one of the regions that have experienced a dramatic increase in employment rates over the past year. With congestion growing steadily, drivers are urged to take care on the roads, especially during times of high traffic.
