The rise of technology has bled into car development and helped implement several advanced features that are intended to make driving safer. Within the past decade, cars have received some major upgrades including electronic stability control systems, rearview cameras and safer airbag dispensers. These changes have been added with the hopes of preventing skids, fender benders and collisions from occurring on roadways. However, recent studies show that technological advancements may be having the opposite effect.
Recent traffic fatality estimates released by the National Safety Council (NSC) show that a total of 40,200 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2016 alone. This is a six percent increase from the previous year. Safety advocates are naturally concerned about the steep increase and are scrambling to find out its cause.
“Why are we OK with this?” Deborah Hersman, the National Safety Council president and chief executive, said at a news conference. “Complacency is killing us.”
The recent estimates confirm that this is the first time since 2007 that more than 40,000 people have died from car accidents within a period of one year. In 2015, there was a seven percent increase from 2014, meaning that over the last two years, motor vehicle deaths have risen by a total of 14 percent, which is the largest increase in more than half a century.
Although certain analysts believe that a major reason for the increase is the booming economy, which has initiated more commuting to and from work, many others have stated that increased distracted driving is at fault.
“It’s not just talking on the phone that’s a problem today,” said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “You now have all these other apps that people can use on their phones.“
Due to the rise of interactive social media apps like Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram, many drivers find it harder to put their phones down while behind the wheel. Last year, a lawsuit was filed against an 18-year-old using Snapchat while allegedly going more than 100 mph and causing a serious crash. End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org) Founder Joel Feldman, who has been a long-time advocate for safe driving, took that opportunity to launch a petition drive to encourage social media companies to make a change.
“We believe that manufacturers of social media apps have a responsibility to warn users not to drive while using their apps, and, in some cases, to disable the app so that it cannot be used while driving,” said Feldman.
On top of social media distractions, government officials and safety advocates agree that the increase in death has also been caused by lenient regulations across the U.S. against not wearing seat belts, drunk driving and speeding.
Only 18 states have laws that make seat belt use mandatory for both front and rear occupants and categorize not wearing seat belts as a primary offense. A total of 15 states consider failure to wear a seat belt only a secondary offense, making it less likely for someone to receive a citation for not being properly buckled up.
Estimates made by the NSC include accidents that took place off public roads and deaths that occurred over a longer period of time after a crash.