In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, life has changed in several ways for us all. While we face increased anxiety about our health, our jobs, our finances, and our future, there are also many other aspects of our daily lives that have been affected by this outbreak. In Washington state, Governor Jay Inslee has encouraged residents to remain at home and limit their travel as much as possible in order to slow the spread of the virus. As a result, fewer cars are on the road, and auto accidents have become increasingly less common.
A Dramatic Decrease in Auto Accidents
As Washington roads become more empty, fewer traffic collisions are taking place. In particular, Seattle has seen a substantial decrease in the number of accidents along its highways, and rush hour traffic has essentially disappeared. According to reports from the Washington State Patrol, there were only 230 traffic collisions on King County freeways between March 12 and March 23, as compared to 550 collisions during this same period last year. Statewide, there were an estimated 1,200 auto accidents last March, while the number of wrecks in March 2020 has fallen below 1,000.
Watch Out For Reckless Drivers
Unfortunately, as the roads are less congested, some drivers decide to travel at unsafe speeds because they are not sharing the road with as many drivers. State Troopers continue to patrol roadways and ticket drivers who are driving over the speed limit. Just because the roads are emptier does not mean that speed limits do not apply. So, while there are fewer accidents taking place overall, there are still reckless drivers out there whose carelessness may result in an auto accident.
