In New Jersey, the roads can be challenging for drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Safety is a primary concern, but with the number of drivers who are distracted, under the influence, drive at excessive speeds, are negligent or drowsy, accidents with personal injury and death can happen without warning. While there is an automatic assumption that some sort of misstep or act by the driver led to the accident, the underlying parts of a collision could yield different information. After an auto accident, it is imperative for the injured person and a family left behind after a fatality have a full investigation from their perspective to determine the cause.
Infrastructure and vehicle design play a major role in auto accidents
For the first six months of 2021, there was a major spike in auto accident fatalities across the U.S. with more than 20,000 people dying. This was the worst total in 15 years. Overall, the past 10 years have been troubling in terms of road safety with a rise in fatalities of more than 10% during that time. Worryingly, the U.S. is generally alone in seeing this level of increase. Europe saw a major decline and it is believed that regulators emphasizing safety for bicyclists and pedestrians played a foundational role in that improvement – something the U.S. has not done. This implies that accidents go beyond the simple explanation that a driver was driving too fast or using his or her cellphone behind the wheel.
Increasingly, car manufacturers are eager to blame accidents on drivers when other issues – like the size and growing prevalence of SUVs – are a major contributing factor to the number of fatalities on U.S. roads. It is known that SUVs cause greater damage when they are in an accident because of their weight. In addition, engineers and not getting the attention they might deserve for failing to properly design safer roadways. Statistically, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported as long ago as 2015 that drivers were nearly always assigned blame as the main reason for an accident. It also said that other factors could have contributed before the accident occurred.
If analysis does not account for such variables as weather, if there is a crosswalk with a traffic light or a stop sign and other considerations, then is the driver wholly responsible or could better planning have made the landscape safer? The number 94% cited by the NHTSA is frequently mentioned to automatically allocate blame to the driver when there are myriad other aspects of a crash that need to be gauged. With that, people who have been hit should think about all the potential reasons for the accident when determining how they will proceed in the aftermath.
To address all challenges after a car crash, it is useful to have professional advice
Medical costs, lost income, an extended recovery time and the need for family members to pick up the slack are just some of the problems that arise after an auto accident. This is if the person survives. A fatality adds several layers to what those left behind will go through. The circumstances must be looked at to see how and why the accident happened as this could be vital when deciding what steps to take. Recovering sufficient compensation after an accident may require professional guidance. Even those who have not been in a recent accident and do not think it will happen to them could find themselves in an unfortunate situation and need assistance. Having experienced, trustworthy and professional guidance is essential.