More Traffic and More Accidents

Regardless of whether you live in the UK, the US or anywhere else in the world, there is no avoiding the fact there the number of accidents occurring on the road are indeed on the rise. In the US, it was calculated that around 40,000 people lost their lives on the roads last year in 2017 with as much as a 6% increase in fatalities compared to 2016. A similar situation was occurring in the UK, with a small yet concerning increase in the amount of traffic accidents. Officials have reported that 2016 may have been the deadliest year for US and UK drivers. While there are no factors that can be blamed for being directly responsible for the increase in accidents and injuries, there are a number of contributing factors that have been considered.

Road Quality

While many roads are in the best shape they have been in in years, that is not to say that they are perfectly maintained, with drivers constantly reporting pot holes and other problems that are proving to be hazardous to the health and safety of drivers. This, alongside the drastic weather seen last year, is also part of the problem when it comes to the number of road traffic accidents in the US being on the increase. Government funding is something that will play a significant role in whether the conditions of America’s roads will be safe enough to drive on.

Population Increase

One of the other reasons why there is an increase in the number of road traffic accidents in the UK is because the number of people in the UK is on the rise, causing the UK roads to get busier and busier. This not only creates more traffic and congestion but also increases the likelihood that more accidents happen as a result.

Distractions

It has been speculated that the number of accidents on the road still remain high is because of distractions like phones and satellite navigation systems that we use whilst driving and already there has been talk of tougher measures being put into place to combat this issue. New technology has also been introduced to encourage people to use their phones less when driving, which could help to reduce the number of phone related traffic accidents in the future.

Drink Drive Limit

The policy and research director of the Institute of Advanced Motorists has stated that he believes the reason why there are so many accidents still in the UK is because of the drink drive limit being higher than it should be. For example, Scotland reduced their drink drive limit from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg. Small steps like this could work towards reducing the number of traffic accidents as it will deter drivers from having one drink to not drinking at all.

If you have been injured by another driver’s negligence, regardless of whether you were driving the car or a passenger, you could be entitled to compensation. By simply filling out a road traffic claim with the Accident Advice Helpline you could find yourself getting the compensation that you deserve. The money that you receive as a result of putting in your claim could go a long way in ensuring that your medical costs and other expenses as a result of the injuries you suffered are accounted for.