Why are car accidents Increasing across the U.S. after the pandemic?
Post-pandemic vehicle crashes across the country surge
Mortality rates have generally declined in most years since the 1960s due to improved safety standards. However, from the summer of 2019 to the summer of 2021, the death toll rose by 17.5%. There are reports of a surge in car crashes across the country . The increase was the largest in the two years after World War II. Clearly, this trend is completely in line with the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are fewer cars on the road, drivers themselves are becoming more dangerous.
Who is affected by the surge in traffic accidents?
At first glance, it may seem that everyone is equally affected by the surge in car crashes. However, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows that low-income communities, blacks and Native Americans have higher rates of traffic accidents. According to the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS), between 2019 and 2020, traffic fatalities in the black population increased by 23%. Meanwhile, the national average for the same period was only 7.2%.
Unfortunately, amid a surge in vehicle collisions, there has also been an increase in pedestrian accidents. The LAPD 's crash report said there will be a 6 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities in 2021 compared to 2020 . A similar trend is happening across the country. The New York Times reported that pedestrian fatalities in 2020 were up 5 percent from the previous year, and preliminary data suggests that number will increase in a pending 2021 report.
But what time of year do car accidents happen the most ? You might be surprised that the odds of a car accident are generally lower in winter. Since there are fewer people on the road during this time, drivers should be more careful from June to October. Those with summer travel plans should face these rising trends rationally.
Why the pandemic plays a role in vehicle crashes
Why do car accidents still happen despite fewer cars on the road? This is because there are fewer outlets for emotion and energy, and many people turn to driving to vent their emotions. Anger, frustration, stress and overwhelm were all brought to the streets. This rise in sentiment has led to a lot of reckless driving and speeding. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in the last three quarters of 2020, average speeds increased and extreme speeds (20 mph or above the speed limit) became commonplace. It saw an 11% increase in speeding-related deaths.
As the leading cause of traffic fatalities in California, drivers driving affected vehicles have also increased nationwide. From mid-March to mid-July 2020, nearly two-thirds of drivers with serious or fatal injuries tested positive for active drugs, NHTSA reported . Active drugs include alcohol, marijuana and opioids. Drivers under the influence of opioids nearly doubled in the report, while marijuana use increased by nearly 50 percent.
为什么疫情过后全美车祸数量增多？
大流行后全国各地的车辆碰撞事故激增
自 1960 年代以来，由于安全标准的提高，大多数年份的死亡率普遍下降。然而，从 2019 年夏季到 2021 年夏季，死亡人数上升了 17.5%。有报道显示，在全国范围内车祸激增的趋势十分明显。这一增幅是二战后两年来最大的增幅。很明显，这种趋势与 COVID-19 大流行完全一致。虽然路上的汽车越来越少，但司机本身却变得更加危险。
谁受到交通事故激增的影响？
乍一看，似乎每个人都同样受到车祸激增的影响。然而，州长公路安全协会 (GHSA) 表明，低收入社区、黑人和美洲原住民发生交通事故的几率更高。根据国家道路安全战略 (NRSS)提示， 2019 年至 2020 年间，黑人人口的交通死亡人数增加了 23%。与此同时，同期全国平均水平仅为 7.2%。
不幸的是，在车辆碰撞激增的情况下，行人事故也有所增加。洛杉矶警察局的事故报告中表示，与 2020 年相比，2021 年行人死亡人数增加了 6% 。在全国范围内，类似的趋势正在发生。《纽约时报》报道称，2020 年行人死亡人数比前一年增加了 5%，初步数据表明，待定的 2021 年报告中这一数字将增加。
但是，一年中的什么时候发生车祸最多？通常来说，冬季发生车祸的几率会比较低，你可能会感到惊讶。这时由于这段时间有更少的人在路上行驶，因此从 6 月到 10 月，司机就应该更加小心了。有夏季旅行计划的人要理性面对这些不断上升的趋势。
为什么大流行在车辆碰撞事故中起一定作用
为什么尽管道路上的汽车较少，但仍会发生车祸？这是因为情感和能量的出口变得越来越少，许多人转而用开车来发泄情绪。愤怒、沮丧、压力和不知所措都被带到了街头。这种情绪的上升导致了很多鲁莽的驾驶和超速驾驶。美国国家公路交通安全管理局 (NHTSA)报告称，在 2020 年的最后三个季度，平均速度增加，极端速度（20 英里或高于限速）变得司空见惯。它与超速有关的死亡人数增加了 11%。
作为加利福尼亚州交通死亡的主要原因，在全国范围内驾驶受此影响的车辆的司机也有所增加。NHTSA报告称，从 2020 年 3 月中旬到 7 月中旬，近三分之二的重伤或致命伤司机的活性药物检测呈阳性。活性药物包括酒精、大麻和阿片类药物。在报告中，受阿片类药物影响的司机几乎翻了一番，而大麻的使用量增加了近 50%。
Citation: Why are car accidents Increasing across the U.S. after the pandemic?
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