Personal injuries occur much too frequently in motor vehicle accidents in New Mexico and across the country. IBased on the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s 2019 crash report, about 30% of all motor vehicle collisions in the state resulted in an injury, and 132 collisions occurred, on average, every day. That amounts to approximately 15,000 injuries each year, on average, from motor vehicle crashes. Yet according to a recent study published in JAMA Surgery and reported in the Insurance Journal, ridesharing apps appear to be reducing the rate of motor vehicle accidents and injuries. Our New Mexico personal injury attorneys want to provide you with more information about the study and its potential implications.
Increased Rideshare Usage Corresponds to Reduction in Car Crashes
Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, or UTHealth, conducted the research for the recent study that appeared in JAMA Surgery. They “found that rideshare volume had a significant correlation with the incidence of motor vehicle-related trauma, with a reduction in the rate of incidence by one-third for every 1,000 rides,” and they determined that the “rate continued to drop as more rides occurred.” Such findings suggest that avoidable human error is indeed the cause of many collisions, particularly aggressive driving and intoxicated driving, which may be avoided when a person calls for a rideshare car instead of getting behind the wheel of an automobile.
The study also shows that age plays a factor in car accident reduction resulting from rideshare apps. Indeed, drivers under the age of 30 showed “the most significant decrease in motor vehicle-related trauma,” with a reduced crash and injury rate of nearly 39%. The authors of the study link these findings to overall reduced rates of drunk driving. According to lead author of the study Christopher Conner, MD, PhD, “the data shows that ridesharing companies can decrease these incidents because they give young people an alternative to driving drunk.”
Motor Vehicle Crashes Leading Cause of Personal Injury and Death Among Young Adults
The new study should underscore that car crashes are preventable and that young adults do not need to sustain severe and life-threatening injuries in motor vehicle collisions. Dr. Conner notes that “automobile accidents are the leading cause of death and disability among young people, so anything we can do to reduce those incidents is going to have a massive effect.” A reduction in car accident and injury rates by 39% or more—assuming that young adults continue to use rideshare apps at the same or at an increased rate—could ultimately mean that car accidents result in far fewer personal injuries each year.
While the study focused on data from a specific region, the researchers suggest that their findings should be applicable to cities across the country where use of rideshare apps is prevalent.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in New Mexico
If you were injured recently in a motor vehicle collision and have questions about filing a car accident claim, one of our experienced Santa Fe personal injury attorneys can assist you. Contact Slate Stern Law for more information about how we can assist you.