With traffic fatalities rising, safety officials see tech as cause and solution

(credit: Jason Weaver)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released numbers on Tuesday showing a slight decrease in the number of fatal accidents in 2014, but an 8.1 percent increase in estimated fatalities in the first half of 2015 compared to the first half of 2014.

Speaking to Reuters, NHTSA head Mark Rosekind guessed that, although it’s too early to tell what has caused the increase in estimated fatalities, smartphone use may have contributed. “The increase in smartphones in our hands is so significant, there’s no question that has to play some role. But we don’t have enough information yet to determine how big a role,” Rosekind said.

While cautioning that the results for the January to June 2015 fatality estimate could be subject to major adjustments when the Administration does its year-end tally, the NHTSA posited that low gas prices throughout 2015 could have led to more driving from teenagers and other “risky drivers.”

Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments

– Source

With traffic fatalities rising, safety officials see tech as cause and solution