Anyone driving on Wisconsin roads might benefit from being as defensive as possible. Even when following all the rules of the road and driving a vehicle packed with recent safety features, others on the road could be irresponsible. An intoxicated driver, for example, could put people’s lives at risk. Recent statistics suggest that drunk driving fatalities dropped, but the positive news doesn’t indicate that risks no longer exist.
Positive news from a credible source
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) represents a highly credible source for information about traffic collisions and fatalities. The NHTSA reports that 2019 saw a remarkable decrease in traffic deaths, and DUI-related deaths were the lowest on record.
Perhaps the increase in driver-assisted technology may play a slight role in the statistics. A vehicle equipped with a cross-traffic alert may send a collision warning to a careful driver. Also, SUVs and powerful pickup trucks prove popular with consumers, and they may handle impact better when hit by a smaller vehicle.
Regardless, collisions could still occur on the road. And fatalities refer to deaths, not severe injuries, which are possible after collisions.
Roads present risks to drivers
Drunk-driving collisions might be the lowest on record since 1982, but what are the statistics related to distracted driving? Drivers didn’t have touchscreens or smartphone connectivity decades ago. Today, such things are commonplace and could create distractions that might cause a collision.
Along with driving a poorly maintained vehicle, both drunk driving and distracted driving could reflect negligence when operating a vehicle. Hurting someone or damaging property due to negligence may lead to a civil case.
Drunk driving fatalities are down to the lowest point on record, which is good news. The risks for an MVA never go away entirely, so drivers should remain vigilant on the road.
