More Cars On U.S. Roads Than Ever Means More Accidents

Maine personal injury attorney Joe Bornstein reminds drivers to keep safety in mind in light of a new report stating that American drivers topped 3.1 trillion miles traveled in 2015, setting a new record.

"When you have more cars on the road, you're going to have more accidents," Bornstein said. "We want to remind drivers to always put safety first. This is especially true during a time of low gas prices, when the number of motor vehicles on the road seems to be increasing every day."

According to new data from the Department of Transportation, released Jan. 25, there were 2.88 trillion miles traveled between January and November 2015. Each month showed an increase between 2.5 and 4.9 percent over the corresponding month in 2014.

December's figures have not yet been calculated, but even if the amount is the same as last year's figure, the 2015 total would represent an increase of over 100 billion miles. Given the trend set by the other 11 months of the year, the increase is likely even larger.

After a dip in miles traveled in January and February 2015, traffic in Maine mirrored the national trend with an increase in every month from March through November. Overall, Maine roads saw an increase of 1.9 percent between January and November 2015 as compared to the corresponding months in 2014, according to the DOT data.

Bornstein listed some of the potential road safety issues linked to an increase in traffic.

"With more cars on the road than ever, people are going to be tempted to drive aggressively," Bornstein added. "We're going to see more tailgating, more speeding, more passing on the right."

Bornstein urged motorists to obey traffic laws and avoid accidents.

"Nobody wants to be stuck in traffic, but as our attorneys see firsthand, being hurt in an accident is much worse than being late," he said. "Drivers need to be aware of other vehicles, share the road and put safety first."