A tragic car accident in Kentucky recently resulted in one death, according to Wave3. The victim of this fatal crash was a girl who was only 15-years-old.
The crash happened near the intersection of KY 222 and Bacon Creek Road at approximately 3:45 PM on a Tuesday afternoon. The 16-year-old was halted at a stop sign when a pickup truck carrying three motorists approached northbound on KY 222. For unknown reasons, the teen driver who had been stopped suddenly pulled into the path of the pickup truck, which struck the girl, causing a multi-vehicle accident that resulted in the teen's death.
Young drivers are among the most vulnerable to being killed in a motor vehicle collision. Of course, anyone can die in an auto accident, but it's a leading cause of death for novice drivers between the ages of 16 and 21. This is especially concerning given a recent NPR report indicating car accident death rates have begun rising substantially in the last several years.
The factors that contribute to big increases in fatalities from one year to the next are likely to continue, so motorists should be aware of the growing risk they face on U.S. roads.
According to data analyzed by NPR reporters, a 14 percent increase in car accident fatalities occurred between 2014 and 2016. The increase occurred over two years, with the total number of fatalities going up between 2014 an 2015 and then going up again between 2015 and 2016. From 2015 to 2016 alone, there was a six percent increase in accident rates.
Since the economy was better during these years, some experts suggest that the reason there was a big increase in car accident deaths was because the low gas prices and improved economic indicators gave consumers the ability to drive more, which, in turn, has led to high traffic.
More people on the road increases the risk of a crash, Roadway congestion and high traffic make multi-car accidents more likely since drivers often have nowhere to escape if cars around them collide.
If economic conditions are a central reason crash rates have climbed, we're likely to see this trend continue into this year. Early indicators show rising consumer confidence, record stock market increases and good jobs numbers, all of which suggests a steadily improving economy. Motorists need to be especially mindful about the way they drive in order to try becoming involved in a car accident.
Drivers cannot control a rise in traffic due to a changing economy. They can, however, change their behavior. NPR reports 94 percent of car accidents are caused by human error. This means motorists are empowered to bring down record-high crash rates simply by avoiding high-risk activities and exhibiting extra caution on the roads.