Why Are Phoenix-Area Freeways So Deadly?

According to data from the Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are a host of reasons why fatalities on Phoenix-area roadways happen at a 61% higher rate than the national average. A recent article from The Arizona Republic detailed a number of those reasons, and we share some of them with you here.

Fatalities on Valley Freeways and Interstates

Over the course of three years, deadly traffic trends on Valley freeways and interstates reveal that:

• 52% of fatal accidents occurred on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday
• Most fatal collisions happened in May, June, and July
• The majority of the fatal crashes happened around 11 pm and 4 am
• 42% of the fatal crashes involved just one vehicle
• 109 of the 196 fatal crashes in the Valley happened on I-10 and I-17

Seatbelt Use Lower in Arizona

Here in Arizona, drivers can be cited if they and front-seat passengers or anyone under 16 are not wearing a seat belt. Passengers in the backseat over 16 aren’t required to wear seat belts. Data shows that Arizonans clicked seat belts 86% of the time in 2015; lower than the 88% national average. “We have lost so many lives on Arizona highways because backseat passengers were not restrained and they get ejected from the vehicle in a collision. Occupant restraints, even though it may not be the law and they may not be required, it will save your life,” said Damon Cecil of the Arizona Department of Public Safety to The Arizona Republic

Motorcycles on Arizona Highways

While the national rate of motorcyclists who wear helmets is 60.7%, the rate in states like Arizona that do not have a mandatory helmet law is merely 42.9%. While helmets alone are often not enough to provide complete protection from serious injuries in crashes, the NHTSA maintains that the protective headgear would have been sufficient to change the outcome of nearly 37% of motorcycle fatalities.

Call The Oswalt Law Group If You’re Injured by Someone Else On The Road

Just about wherever you travel, you’re at risk of being seriously hurt by someone else’s negligence. As we wrote in a previous blog entry, the winter season presents its own set of challenges for travelers. If you’ve been the victim of someone else’s negligence on the road, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit to help cover lost wages, pay medical bills and assist with any therapy you may need. For a free consultation, call us here at The Oswalt Law Group; our number is 602-225-2222.