Both New Hampshire and its neighbor Maine set auto accident safety records this past year, logging in the lowest number of car crash deaths since the states began keeping track in 1949, according to a recent article in Maine’s Kennebec Journal.
In New Hampshire, 87 drivers lost their lives on the state’s roads in 2011, beating the previous record of 105 deaths set in 1960. Maine was down to 139 deaths, its second-lowest total since 1944, when gasoline rationing during World War II kept most people off the roads entirely. Ohio and Connecticut also saw significant reductions in crash deaths.
Nationwide, the number of car accidents that took lives in 2011 was 32,885. While this is not a national record, it does follow a trend of decreasing deaths that began in 2009.
According to researchers, several factors could be involved in lowering the rate of deadly crashes. Increased seat belt use has likely saved some lives, and better safety equipment and features in vehicles also reduce the severity of some crashes. Advances in medical care and technology may also have saved lives. And, like the rationing that took place in World War II, high gas prices are causing some drivers to drive less or to carpool, which means fewer cars on the roads.
The decrease in car accident deaths means safer roads, but it doesn’t change the immeasurable cost of losing someone you love in a crash. At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., our experienced New Hampshire car accident wrongful death attorneys are dedicated to helping families sort out what happened in an accident and hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. To learn more about how we can help, call us today at (603) 614-5055.