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Memorial Day crash total up for Connecticut in 2014, raising injury risk

It is a simple reality that the more cars there are on the road, the more automobile accidents there will be. And, with more automobile accidents comes a higher risk of catastrophic injuries.

Memorial Day marks one of the biggest holidays of the year in terms of travel volume, both in Connecticut and throughout the United States. This Memorial Day weekend, Connecticut saw an increase in car accidents compared to the 2013 total – perhaps an indication that a more dangerous summer is being ushered in on the state’s network of highways.

Twenty more car accidents this year than last year

On May 27, Connecticut State Police released the official accident totals for Memorial Day weekend 2014. Between 1 a.m. Friday morning and midnight on Memorial Day, troopers responded to 301 car accidents throughout the state.

Last year, the accident total over the same period was 281, according to Connecticut State Police. The year-to-year difference represented an increase of more than seven percent.

In another troubling trend, troopers issued far more tickets for seat belt violations over Memorial Day weekend in 2014 than in 2013. This year, 954 motorists were cited for seat belt violations, a substantial increase over the 718 seat belt citations passed out last year. It is not clear whether fewer Connecticut motorists were wearing seat belts this year or if seat belt enforcement was simply more successful. Whatever the case, seat belt use can be a substantial factor in preventing serious injury in a car accident.

It was not all bad news, however. Fewer drivers were arrested this year for drunk driving (54 versus 57), which is another significant factor in many crashes that result in serious injury. And, although there were more car accidents this Memorial Day weekend and many of them did result in serious injury, there were no fatal crashes; two motorists lost their lives over Memorial Day weekend in 2013 in Connecticut.

Drive safe this summer, and get legal help if you are harmed in a crash

Memorial Day weekend is the harbinger of the busy summer travel season. More people are on the road taking longer trips, and the accident potential goes up accordingly. This year, there are already early indicators that it could be a particularly dangerous summer for travel, perhaps due to an improving economy and the correlation between economic growth and total miles driven.

The accident totals for Connecticut over Memorial Day weekend should serve as a warning to be cautious when traveling this summer, and also as a reminder that you may have legal remedies available to help get your life back together in the wake of a car accident. Catastrophic injuries can mean large medical bills, time away from work and a great deal of personal pain and suffering; if you have been injured in a car accident or if you have lost a loved one, those responsible for causing the crash may be liable to you for monetary damages.

Talk to Miller, Rosnick, D’Amico, August & Butler, a Connecticut car accident attorney, today to learn more about your legal options following a serious crash.