Case Study: The return to work, post-COVID, causing a rise in car accidents

Covid-19 has affected our lives in so many ways, including road safety. So, let’s explore the idea of whether or not returning to work has made a difference in the number of car accidents or not. 

Covid’s Effect on Roadway Safety During Stay-at-Home Orders

During the pandemic, forced closings inspired a remote workforce which actually had a short-lived positive effect on car accidents. The Road Ecology Center at the University of California Davis performed a study and found a 61% and 90% decrease in the number of traffic accidents early on during the pandemic. 

Connecticut police also noted an increase in speeding during the pandemic. Combined with a decrease in the police force, they believe that is what led to an increase in illegal driving behaviors. Other studies have shown more risky behavior and dangerous driving (street racing/stunt driving/etc.) occurring since 2020. 

Since 2019, law enforcement has seen an 87% increase in speed-related car accidents. In 2020, the state of California Highway Patrol issued almost 2,500 tickets for drivers going over 100 mph. 

Additionally, 25% of adults admitted drinking more alcohol during the pandemic, and 14% used cannabis to control anxiety and deal with boredom. Unfortunately, these factors also increase the likelihood of car accidents while under the influence. 

More Car Accidents Since Return-to-Work Orders?

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report on June 3, 2021, detailing the crash summary for 2020. 

The NHTSA claims that “While Americans drove less in 2020 due to the pandemic, NHTSA’s early estimates show that an estimated 38,680 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes—the largest projected number of fatalities since 2007.”

The increase in car accident fatalities totals 7.2% over the 36,096 that occurred in 2019. The miles traveled decreased by 13.2%, while accidents increased by half that figure. The report showed significant increases in motor vehicle accidents during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 when some businesses started reopening and the public returned to work. 

Some of the preliminary findings showing the difference from 2019 to 2020, from the NHTSA 2020 report include:

• “Passenger vehicle occupants (23,395, up 5%).
• Pedestrians (6,205, flat from 2019).
• Motorcyclists (5,015, up 9%).
• Pedalcyclists (people on bikes) (846, up 5%).”

Interestingly enough, large truck accidents and those involving seniors (who are still avoiding public places) decreased.

The NHTSA mentioned that significant changes in driving behavior are the cause for the increase in accidents during and since the pandemic. Additional contributing factors include:

• Drug and alcohol use.
• Risky driving behavior due to stress and limited law enforcement.
• Excessive speeding.
• Failure to wear seat belts.

Many people became accustomed to working at home. The adjustment of getting back into normal traffic patterns, gridlock, and the stress of going back to the office also contributes to the continued increase in car accidents, many of them fatal.