{"id":5540,"date":"2016-07-06T16:05:04","date_gmt":"2016-07-06T16:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.terrybryant.com\/blogs\/?p=5540"},"modified":"2023-09-24T15:44:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T20:44:44","slug":"higher-traffic-fatalities-reported-for-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.terrybryant.com\/blogs\/higher-traffic-fatalities-reported-for-2015","title":{"rendered":"Higher Traffic Fatalities Reported for 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Traffic,<\/a>
Can distracted driving in traffic cause more accidents?<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Road safety officials are reporting that traffic deaths increased by nearly eight percent (8%) in 2015 \u2013 ending a lengthy period of decline in such numbers. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that about 35,200 people lost their lives in traffic collisions in 2015. All of these troubling facts were recently noted in Nathan Bomey\u2019s USA Today<\/em> article published on July 1, 2016.<\/p>

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Many safety experts are puzzled by what may be causing this new trend. Fatalities haven\u2019t been this high since 2008. Back then, roughly 37,000 people died on our nation\u2019s roads.<\/p>\n

While some people blame the increase on distracted driving<\/a> (often caused by the selfish use of cell phones while behind the wheel) \u2013 others believe that lower gasoline prices have simply encouraged more of us to get out and drive. Regardless of what the main causes are, we should all do what we can to protect ourselves by developing defensive driving skills.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick look at whether self-driving cars are likely to improve vehicle safety in the future and at the groups of individuals currently causing the largest percentage of America\u2019s accidents.<\/p>\n

Are Self-Driving Cars the Answer?<\/h2>\n

In the USA Today<\/em> article referenced above, we\u2019re told that some authorities now claim that self-driving cars may help to greatly reduce accidents in this country in the future. However, recent reports concerning one Tesla Model S driver\u2019s death are causing some to revisit that prediction.<\/p>\n

You may want to watch some instructional videos about self-driving vehicles posted on automakers\u2019 websites (or YouTube) so you can draw your conclusions on that topic. Everything will probably depend on how well the average driver will be able to master the art of using technologies like Autopilot. Given how distracted many drivers already are \u2013 you have to wonder how many people will remember to make all of the repeated adjustments to their steering wheel turn signal levers to use properly all of the new car technologies being developed.<\/p>\n

Who Keeps Causing the Most Accidents?<\/h2>\n