As of October 1, 2015, 245 people have died in motor vehicle accidents on Iowa roads during 2015. That is an increase of almost 7 percent over the 229 lives that were lost during the same period in 2014 or the 228 lives that were lost during the same period in 2013.
What We Know So Far About Iowa Accident Deaths in 2015
The Iowa Department of Transportation defines a crash-related death as one that occurs within 30 days of an accident. Thus, the information provided so far is preliminary. However, the information that we do have indicates that:
- There were significantly more accidents in April 2015 than in April 2014. In April 2015, 31 people died from Iowa accidents and in April 2014, 22 people died from Iowa accidents.
- There were significantly more accidents in August 2015 than in August 2014. In August 2015, 50 people died from Iowa accidents and in August 2014, 36 people died from Iowa accidents.
- Not every month saw an increase. There were fewer fatalities in January, May, June and September 2015 than in the same months of 2014.
A thorough analysis of the accident causes has not yet been reported.
But This Trend Is Happening Throughout the Country
Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC) indicates that there have been more deaths on United States roads this year than in any year since 2007.
Generally, the causes of these accidents are the same as the causes of many fatal car accidents. Things like speeding, drunk driving, and distracted driving result in fatalities, for example. However, in 2015 lower gas prices and a better economy could mean that there are more cars on the road and, thus, more accidents.
We encourage everyone to be safe in the coming months and hope that fewer families have to endure the grief of a tragic wrongful death from an Iowa car crash in the future.
