Making roads safer

When compared to other developed countries, the U.S. does not rank favorably with regard to road safety. In 2016, 37,461 people died in car accidents, an increase in the number of road-related deaths in the U.S. over the preceding year by 5.6 percent. This increase has been felt in 39 states across the United States, including New Mexico, a state that also has the nation’s highest rate of pedestrian deaths.

Fortunately, there is much that can be done. To start with, a new report issued by the National Governor’s Association details how governors can play a pivotal role in bettering the situation. The report, entitled ‘State Strategies to Reduce Highway and Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: A Road Map for States,” stresses the importance of better coordination between state agencies as well as consolidating said agencies’ efforts to increase road safety.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, which helped in producing the report, the document offers actionable insight that can have long-lasting effects on the safety of U.S. roads with the long-term goal of making accident fatalities a thing of the past. Simply put, the report is a road map that is meant to aid governors in the process of policy development by demonstrating how to correlate the efforts of various state agencies, among which are the state highway safety offices.

Nevertheless, the reality of the situation is that car accidents and fatalities are possibilities every American must face anytime they are out on the road. Although some accidents can be jotted down to a simple fender bender, there are accidents due to negligence by one or both parties, driving under the influence, texting while driving or other instances of recklessness. Anyone who is subjected to such an ordeal may wish to seek out legal counsel for help protecting their rights.

Source: abqjournal.com, ‘New Mexico is No.1 in pedestrian deaths,” Olivier Uyttebrouck, June 2nd, 2016