The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety recently released their report entitled the “15th Annual Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws.” The report assesses the highway safety laws in each state to see what improvements can be made to reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities. The organization has outlined 16 laws that have been proven to save lives and assessed each state based on how many of these laws they have implemented.
Across the country, there was a 5.6 percent increase in just one year in the number of fatalities that occurred in motor vehicle accidents. In addition, the number of pedestrian fatalities increased by 9 percent. In the report, New York State was ranked in the middle level for safety because while there are many laws currently in place, there are still several that could make our roads safer.
In 2016, New York State had 1,025 motor vehicle accident fatalities. Over a 10 year period, New York had 11,643 fatalities. In addition, New York State suffers from an annual economic cost of $15.246 billion due to motor vehicle crashes. The report indicates that New York State could benefit from a booster seat law for young children, a stronger seatbelt law regarding rear passengers, and that an unrestricted drivers license should only be granted at age 18.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident in New York State, contact our firm today.
The Law Offices of George Poulos is an experienced Workers’ Compensation, personal injury, and Social Security Disability law firm with offices in Queens and the Bronx. If you require strong legal representation, contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation.
