person driving car

In Tennessee and across the nation, the current situation in which people were forced to live in vastly different ways than they did before has sparked many changes. Part of that included many people were driving far less whether that was because they were working from home, children were learning remotely and leisure activities were reduced or canceled outright. However, as circumstances slowly return to some semblance of normalcy, there has been a predictable increase in traffic.

People might be relieved, but this also raises the chance of an auto accident. In fact, there has been a statistical increase in fatal collisions throughout the state. When heading out on the road as a driver, passenger, commuter, bicyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian, it is wise to be aware of these trends to try and stay safe. When there is an accident, it is useful to be aware of the available options.

More people are dying on Tennessee roads in 2021

The statistics tell a sobering tale for state roadways and the dangers people face. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says that there has been a worrisome increase in road fatalities in 2021 when compared to 2019 and 2020. At its latest calculation, there were 467 such deaths in 2021. At the same time in 2020, there were 377. In 2019, there were 371. For 2021, that is almost one-quarter more than in the previous year. Researchers say that many drivers are driving under the influence, speeding, not maintaining their lane and not wearing their seatbelts. All are contributing to the higher number of fatal crashes. Law enforcement is attempting to emphasize the dangers involved with failing to adhere to the basic laws. That includes citing drivers. Still, other issues are at play.

Traffic is slowly returning to normal levels. For those who were still commuting to work while the challenges were at their height, it might have been somewhat welcome to endure less traffic and fewer traffic jams. Now, that is changing. People are getting back to their normal routines and traffic is again reverting to its previous levels. Certain areas like I-40 are more congested than others. That is expected to get even worse once the summer is in full swing and people are driving for vacations and to outdoor venues for activities.

Memorial Day is generally perceived as the “official” start of summer. With that, it was expected that more than 776,500 Tennessee residents were traveling for that weekend. An overwhelming majority were doing so by car. Along with speeding and recklessness, another treacherous driver behavior is distracted driving. This can be exacerbated in the summer when there are more teens on the road and they are prone to thinking they can multitask safely. This combination of factors may contribute to a collision in which people suffer injuries and lose their lives.

After an auto accident, people can face a series of problems

Motor vehicle accidents are among most common causes of unexpected death in the U.S. Even those who are vigilant and embrace the fundamentals of safety are vulnerable to injuries and death in an auto crash. For those who survive, there may be major medical expenses that can wreak havoc on a person’s finances. They will often be unable to return to work in a timely fashion, if they can work at all. Contributing to a family might be limited. When there is a fatality, there will be funeral expenses and the uncertainty of how to move forward. Gathering evidence and assessing the cause of the accident can be vital to keeping options open when thinking about compensation. Having assistance from caring and experienced professionals can analyze the situation and help with proceeding appropriately.