More people dying on Tennessee roads

Knox County and some of its neighboring counties have been experiencing a significant increase in the number of accident fatalities.

While many people in Tennessee to some degree accept the fact that traffic accidents are a reality of life, that does not mean people aren’t interested in finding ways to combat these incidents. The need to improve safety and keep motorists, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and more protected from tragedy is real. How well that is happening today, however, may be a point of contention.

According to data provided by the National Safety Council, 2016 marked one of the deadliest years on record in the United States in nearly a decade. Additionally, the 14 percent increase in motor vehicle fatalities from 2014 to 2016 was the largest such jump in a two-year period in more than a half a century. Sadly, Tennessee’s own accident fatality record seems to paint an equally grim picture.

How many people died in accidents in Tennessee in 2016?

Of the more than 40,000 people who lost their lives in car crashes nationally in 2016, 1,036 died in Tennessee according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. That is 77 more than the 962 who died the prior year. Together, Knox, Anderson, Loudon and Roane Counties recorded 35 of those 77 additional deaths in 2016 versus 2015.

How many people died in car accidents in Knox County in 2016?

Knox County was the site of 70 of the state’s overall vehicular fatalities in 2016, a total of 16 more than the 54 from 2015. Anderson, Loudon and Roane Counties experienced 15, eight and 13 deaths in 2016, respectively. That compares to six in both Anderson and Loudon Counties and 11 in Roane County the prior year.

How many people have died so far in 2017?

So far this year, Tennessee has experienced even more deaths on its roads than it had at this same time last year. Statistics from the first seven months of 2017 show that a total of 599 people died in car wrecks. In 2016, there were 575 vehicular fatalities between January 1 and July 31.

In the first four days of August 2017, another six people were killed in car accidents.

Three of the seven months of 2017 saw more fatalities than in the prior year. A total of 25 more people died in January, three more in April and 34 more in July year over year.

What can Tennessee residents do to stay safe?

Certainly it is important to drive safely and be on the lookout for negligent drivers. However, this may not always be enough to avoid an accident. When a crash does happen, people should reach out to a lawyer immediately for help to learn how they may seek compensation.