At least 143 million Americans use our roads for their daily commute, while millions more are on foot or bicycles. However, with road traffic accidents claiming over 30,000 lives each year, sadly, not everyone always makes it home safely. People who drive for their job are at even more risk of being injured or killed on the road. The tragedy is that many road accidents are avoidable if roads are correctly maintained, and motorists follow traffic laws. All Americans should have peace of mind that the nation’s roads are safe, and using them doesn’t feel like you are gambling with your life each day.
The Dangers On U.S. Roads
American’s drive far more than any other population, but our love of the road means more traffic and more chances of a crash. Legal professionals at Johnson Garcia Law, as well as U.S. officials advise the nation’s drivers to put safety first at all times.
Today, tens of thousands of people each year are killed in car accidents, and a million others suffer severe or life-changing injuries. While traffic fatalities in the U.S. are the highest in today’s developed world, not every crash can be blamed on risky and aggressive driving behaviors. While no one can dispute that distracted drivers kill thousands of people every year, our bumpy and pothole-riddled roads, combined with loose drink driving, seat belts, and speeding enforcement, create exceptionally hazardous conditions.
Commercial Vehicle Safety
Around 12 million commercial vehicles, from minivans to trucks, share America’s roads and highways. As road crashes are the leading cause of workplace death or severe injury, a business’s financial security and its employees’ lives depend on commercial road safety. Minivans are amongst the safest commercial light vehicles on the market. Still, crashes can happen due to fatigue, time pressures, distractions, poor vehicle maintenance, or inadequate vehicle training. Any commercial or business vehicle must be maintained, managed, and driven to a high standard. Drivers should always wear seat belts and never drive when they are distracted, using a cell phone, or are ill, tired, or taking medications that cause drowsiness.
America’s Safest Highways
With 11 highway deaths per 100,000 people each year, the World Health Organization ranked U.S. roads as significantly more dangerous than those in most northern European countries. The I-45 through Houston is one of America’s most deadly stretches of road. There are just over 56 fatal crashes every 100 miles of the road, resulting from people drinking and driving, texting at the wheel, and driving too fast. Highway 1 in Florida follows closely behind Houston, claiming over 1,000 lives every decade across the length of the road. Meanwhile, some states boast a much better record of keeping their motorists safe on the highways. A study of road accident data reveals that Iowa is home to the country’s safest highway, closely followed by Minnesota and Indiana.
Everyone has a role to play in keeping our roads safe. Always driving defensively and never allowing yourself to be distracted, tired, or tempted to drive too fast can make all the difference in ensuring that you and other road users make it to your destination safely.
