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As people across Massachusetts and the rest of the United States have dealt with the coronavirus pandemic, traffic has been cut by more than half in most major cities. This has generally been seen as one of the few positives to come out of this global health crisis, but this does not mean that drivers and pedestrians can relax when they do head outside. Traffic crashes are still occurring on a regular basis in and around the Boston area. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., our experienced Boston car accident lawyer wants to discuss some alarming findings regarding traffic fatalities in this area, and we think that the statistics will surprise you.
Reports show that traffic has dropped by 50% on average in most areas of Massachusetts during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has released data that showed that the rate of fatalities on state roadways doubled in April. Transportation officials are blaming this trend for two reasons: speeding and distracted driving.
Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said that “It’s somewhat of psychology here that when you have the open road and you’re not used to it, that you’re going to see what you can do and try to get to your destination as fast as possible. That’s something that we do not want people to do.”
According to data from the DOT, two-thirds of the traffic deaths in April occurred on local roads while one-third occurred on interstate highways. Initial data from early May 2020 shows that there have already been numerous traffic fatalities.
It seems that drivers become even more careless when there is less traffic on the roadway. April was also the first month that fines for the new Massachusetts distracted driving law kicked in. Gulliver said that the quick changes that people made because of the coronavirus pandemic made it harder to get people to adjust to putting their phones down while driving.
As Massachusetts and the rest of the country begins to slowly open the economy back up, we can also expect traffic to begin increasing. We encourage everybody to remain vigilant when they are driving or if they are out walking or biking. Vehicle drivers need to be especially vigilant for pedestrians and bicyclists who have become accustomed to having less traffic on and around the roadways.
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a car accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., we are ready to investigate every aspect of what happened in order to secure the compensation you deserve. This can include coverage of your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Boston car accident lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling 617-917-3917.
