Automobile Safety Measures Prevent Millions of Deaths
A report recently published in the Journal of Public Health Policy, indicates that traffic safety measures and vehicle design enhancements have prevented approximately 5.8 million deaths in the United States from 1968 to 2015. The most notable traffic safety measures are seat belt and drunk driving enforcement. Prior to states enacting laws on seat belt usage in the 1980s, only 15% of passengers and drivers buckled up. Now, 88% regularly use seat belts. Vehicle design enhancements have been dramatic. Electronic stability control, designed to prevent vehicle rollovers, has saved many lives. The structural and component changes that allow the vehicle to absorb the majority of the impact instead of the driver and passengers are also significant. One factor that has hindered vehicle performance is the use of inexpensive and/or inferior parts that fail, endangering the health and safety of the driver and passengers. If you own or lease a vehicle that has had defective or recalled parts, please contact us.