At the beginning of each year, the Missouri Department of Transportation tabulates the number of people who died in car crashes the year before. The number of fatalities in 2015 increased from the prior year to 853. This is the first time that more than 800 people died on Missouri’s roads since 2012, and the data shows that it is more than drunk driving accidents that led to last year’s increase.
The Missouri Department of Transportation provided some indication of the causes of the fatalities by issuing some tips regarding how to avoid fatal accidents. The first on their list is distracted driving. As part of not allowing distractions to remove drivers’ attention from the road, they should also be sure to remain aware of what is around them, including the distance between them and the vehicles they are following.
Further, drivers are urged to stay within the bounds of existing traffic laws. This includes speeding, which is also cited often in serious accidents. Sometimes, it is not enough just to follow the speed limit since weather conditions may require drivers to slow down and pay more attention. All of these issues have led to fatalities across the state and the nation. Numerous families have been forever changed.
For the families of the victims of speeding, distracted or drunk driving accidents, state law allows for the filing of wrongful death claims against the party or parties believed to be responsible for the loss of their loved ones. Before any restitution will be ordered, however, families must first prove that the death of their loved ones was due to the negligence of another. Any monetary judgment awarded could help surviving family members with the financial burdens created by fatal accidents.
Source: kfvs12.com, “Missouri roads see the highest number of fatalities in 3 years“, Justin Fischer, Jan. 9, 2016
