Statistics are useful when determining how and why auto accidents happen. Policymakers often analyze data and trends to reduce their frequency. However, for Pennsylvania drivers, there might be a difference between what they witness on a regular basis and what state agencies, legislators and law enforcement focus on.
To try and grasp what drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians witness every day, surveys might help. This is especially important when there is an increase in fatal motor vehicle accidents or accidents with injuries. In the past several years, more people on the state roadways have been in collisions, increasing the need to find a solution.
PennDOT initiates a survey to gauge the public’s opinion on road challenges
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is asking the public for its help in making the roads safer. In the online survey, the agency wants to know what the public is seeing on the roads so it can come up with strategies to improve safety.
Accidents on state roadways are now increasing since 2019, when there was a record low. In 2021, 1,230 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents. This was a 9% increase from the previous year. There were around 69,000 people who suffered injuries of 118,000 accidents. An estimated 40,000 occurred at intersections. More than 12,700 were due to distracted drivers.
Educating drivers about the need to stick to the speed limits, avoid distractions and not get behind the wheel under the influence could significantly lower the number of crashes. In 2020, fewer people were on the roads because more people were working from home, taking fewer trips and schools were relying on remote learning. In past years, more people were on the road and the accident numbers started to spike.
After a crash, having professional help can be essential
PennDOT believes many of the motor vehicle accidents are preventable and with the public’s help, there may be new tactics that PennDOT can implement to improve safety. Still, despite their best efforts, more vigilance, new laws and law enforcement crackdowns, there will still be crashes with injuries and fatalities.
People who have been injured need to think about their personal and financial future because of medical costs, obstacles with working as they did before and trouble interacting with their families. Fatalities cause even more serious issues. For help in deciding what to do after an accident, calling experienced professionals is a wise first step.