THE OBSERVATION BOOTH
OP / ED & PHOTOS BY ANDREA DIALECT
More people are dying on U.S. roads, even as cars get safer says CNBC Michael Wayland…
- An estimated 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021, a 10.5% increase from 2020 and the highest rate since 2005, according to federal data.
- Experts say the increase stems from a combination of factors including reckless or distracted driving as well as record levels of vehicle performance and weight.
- Compared to 2019, fatality rates have risen 18%.
SPEED & DEMONS
Funny but not… If you don’t know what’s around the bend before embarking upon those potential blind spots – which is pretty logical if you were to ask me – you might want to take a breather and think first, then twice because… Oh my God, it’s too late.
Logically as soon as you mow somebody down, injuring or killing them, for Lord’s sake, you just might find yourself in that interrogation room, sliding down that desk and rolling around on that floor like dancers do while you’re performing your concert for those in charge of the precinct where you’re now being charged and even those in a holding cell who can hear ya from the bottom floor. You riff ya song longer and perhaps even better than Whitney Houston with the “And I” with that new hit you calling “Mama!” no excuse me “Maaaaaaaaaama” lol. Seeming that the sing-song should be entitled “Mama” because of that. But my favorite subtitle for that scenario is CRASH & BURN, which is a better fit. Cause that’s what you’ll be doing!
I thought I’d give you a peek into my Andrea Dialect’s “Reading Is For Grown Folk” series, so it’s story time OB Readers; before we start, I’ll say that before stepping into or in front of that vehicle, it should be covered by prayer just in case you do run into Jackie or Jack being too quick. This short may come across as something you’ve seen many times before just like one of those television sitcoms on repeat that you don’t want to look at, but it’s the only thing on, and you’re being forced to watch. The images accompanied here are “Muse,” which I photographed several years ago during a car show, and my Editorial Model, Shereena. They’re all part of my archived collection and are utilized often because my photos identify as markers. Now let’s get into why we need to slow our roll. Here we go…
As a taxpayer, you’ve been driving around town as you should, and now you’re finagling that highway traffic at a pretty good flow. The car up ahead is going at a slower pace. But you’re heading home and lagging behind aides in the unwind. You are listening to your favorite tunes on the playlist; hello, relaxation. You’re going to make this work, and then bam, it happens again. This guy must be the kinfolk of the person that bypassed ya as exiting the parking lot not too long ago. the one who barged across from the far right heading over to the far left as fast as lightning repositioning you as the monkey in the middle.
You hang tight while gripping the wheel when he dips, speeding ahead. The pothole that you just hit didn’t help. Now from the rearview, seemingly, you’re eating dust once more as if trespassing on these people’s daddy’s estate. Because after the 2 seconds of flashing headlights as a warning, it is now a slow dance that you have become entwined. It’s so close that you’d think you were in a club, maybe on a Saturday night hip-to-hip with some stranger humpin’ to R. Kelly’s hit song “Bump and Grind” when they’re bullying you by riding your bumper so.
Sometimes, you are admonished by facial gestures and hand movements resembling a dummy down sign for some sort of language by these Speed Demons, perhaps with the proverbial middle finger or maybe both, the only comprehendible part of the speech during that zoom around. Children are often in the back seat, and those heads are bobbling, and the solemn gaze of those wide eyes and blank stare come to notice. Unlike the other who rode solo, this one is working double time, galvanizing dem family traits.
No longer a blind spot, they find the reason that you are going so slow, But in a flash, like before, they dip that whip into the next lane, but it was pretty darn close. So close that it forces your heart to stop, but whew, Speedy made it to the other side, and relaxation is sustained by your guide, who’s leading the way, and now it is just fine. But we pray for them and all those others that misinterpret their ownership of the road, which, by the way, just might or might not be paying taxes that you may come across any minute now, later on, that evening or simply tomorrow just in case! Have ya ever seen that flick? I call this… DOIN’ SOMEBODY DIRTY.
Hope you enjoyed this test subject. What Crazy Road War stories do you have that can be the next Drivin’ Dirty article submission? Boy, do I have some stories for you. Until next time LET’S SLOW OUR ROLL so that everyone can enjoy and benefit from that ride!
DID YA KNOW THAT…
Fortunately, driving in America has become much safer over the years. In 2019, 1.2 Americans died in motor vehicle accidents for every 100 million miles driven, down nearly 77% from 5.21 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles in 1969. The National Safety Council (NSC) attributes this trend to better vehicle safety technology and drivers acting less recklessly behind the wheel. (https://insurify.com/insights/states-car-accidents-2022/#cite-1)
Yet despite this long-term positive trend, fatal traffic accidents in America have spiked dramatically since 2020. Over 42,000 Americans died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, the highest number in over 15 years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s latest estimates. The 10.5% increase in traffic deaths from 2020 is also the largest year-over-year jump on record. Elevated rates of dangerous driving behavior, such as speeding and not wearing a seat belt, are leading causes of this sharp rise in motor vehicle fatalities. (https://insurify.com/insights/states-car-accidents-2022/#cite-2)
The 10 Most Accident-Prone States in 2022 (Source: Insurify.com)
10. Indiana
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 9.6% (9% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.17
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 7,576
Indiana has a history of success when it comes to college basketball but also a history of inattentiveness when it comes to driving. 9.6% of Hoosier State drivers have a prior accident on record, a share that’s 9% higher than the national average. Overall, the state ranks 10th on the list of states with the most accidents in 2022.
9. Iowa
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 9.7% (10% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.13
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 9,434
Iowa drivers do not exhibit total control behind the wheel in 2022, as the state’s at-fault accident rate of 9.7% is the ninth-highest in the nation. However, those crashes have not led to increased traffic fatalities. The Hawkeye State’s 1.13 motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles driven are actually 16% lower than the U.S. average.
8. North Carolina
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 10.0% (13% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.45
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 6,803
The Tar Heel State is known more for its beaches than for its drivers — and for good reason. 10% of motorists in North Carolina report an at-fault accident on record, which is the eighth-highest share in the nation. The state’s traffic crash fatality rate is also 6% higher than the national average.
7. Maine
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 10.5% (19% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.25
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 8,333
Taking a stroll along Maine’s breathtaking coastline may be a relaxing experience, but taking a drive along one of the state’s freeways can be anything but. That’s because 10.5% of Maine drivers have an at-fault accident on their driving record, which places the Pine State seventh on the list of states with the most accident-prone drivers in 2022. However, Maine’s traffic fatality rate is below the U.S. average.
6. Maryland
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 10.5% (19% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.11
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 10,870
Given that 10.5% of Maryland drivers have a prior at-fault accident on record — the sixth-highest share in the nation — it’s possible that motorists in the state are occasionally distracted behind the wheel. Perhaps they’re daydreaming about the state’s delicious Old Bay seasoning? Whatever the reason, Maryland drivers really are causing a high rate of accidents, though not necessarily fatal ones: the state’s traffic fatalities per capita are 17% lower than the national average.
5. Georgia
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 10.6% (20% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.43
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 6,452
The Peach State’s at-fault accident rate of 10.6% isn’t so peachy, as it’s 20% higher than the national average. By raw numbers, Georgia also has the fourth most yearly fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes but only the eighth-largest population in the country. This discrepancy means Georgia has some of the most dangerous roads in the country, especially among populous states: 1 in 6,452 residents are killed in motor vehicle accidents every year.
4. Nebraska
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 10.6% (20% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.20
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 8,403
Nestled in the heart of the Great Plains, Nebraska has plenty of straight, flat roads, but some Cornhusker drivers still struggle to keep their vehicles between the lines. 10.6% of Nebraska drivers report an at-fault accident on record, which is the fourth-highest share in the nation. The state also has a traffic fatality rate that is 10% lower than the national average.
3. Ohio
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 11.4% (29% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.19
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 9,615
People may joke that there’s nothing notable about Ohio, but the state’s at-fault accident rate says differently. 11.4% of Buckeye drivers report having caused an accident within the past seven years, which is the third-highest among all states in the country. However, the number of Ohio traffic fatalities per mile driven is 11% below average, so accidents in the state are less likely to be deadly than those across the U.S. as a whole.
2. Massachusetts
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 11.9% (35% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 0.63
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 20,408
Massachusetts is one of the most perplexing states in the country when it comes to traffic accidents. 11.9% of Bay State drivers – 35% more than the U.S. average – report an at-fault accident on record, but the state’s number of traffic fatalities per mile driven is 53% lower than the national average. Its number of yearly motor vehicle fatalities per capita is 58% lower than the U.S. average, too. Drivers in the state do cause plenty of accidents, but the vast majority are not life-threatening.
1. South Carolina
- Share of drivers with an at-fault accident on record: 12.0% (37% higher than national average)
- Number of traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled: 1.97
- Number of people killed in traffic accidents every year: 1 in 4,831
With a 12% at-fault accident rate, South Carolina drivers cause the most accidents in the country in 2022. Unlike Massachusetts, however, the Palmetto State also has the highest traffic fatality rate in the nation. Overall, South Carolina residents are more than four times as likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident than their Massachusetts counterparts, pointing to how dangerous the state’s roads are.
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