Riskier driving has become an important trend for personal injury attorneys to follow closely. While there are fewer cars on the road today than there were pre-pandemic, accident rates have been climbing. Fatal accidents increased by 7.2 percent in 2020, the largest percentage increase since 2005, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For personal injury attorneys, these statistics present challenges and opportunities alike.
Here are some of the key driving trends that personal injury attorneys should know about.
Causes
According to the NHTSA report, speeding was identified as a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2020, up from 26% in 2019. They also found that the estimated number of unbuckled passenger vehicle occupant fatalities increased 15% in 2020 compared to 2019.
According to an INRIX report, “With less traffic overall, drivers also seem to be taking advantage of the open roads to speed.” Roads that used to handle daily rush hour traffic were now wide open, and drivers were using them as their own personal speedway.
Impact on personal injury attorneys
Fewer cars are on the road, but accident rates are climbing - what does this mean for personal injury practices? While personal injury attorneys are seeing fewer fender benders due to reduced traffic, when accidents do happen, they tend to be more severe. Since the speeds are higher, the accidents are more severe – often resulting in more substantial injuries and higher medical bills.
Not only does this mean that the severity of individual cases is increasing, but personal injury attorneys may also have an opportunity to grow their caseloads with the overall number of automobile accidents increasing. To manage a larger caseload and more complex cases, forward-thinking personal injury attorneys are taking advantage of cloud-based practice management software that can help their firms handle the increased demand.
How to prepare your practice
To be ready for the new caseload that’s coming your way, make sure your practice has the right tools and processes in place. Consider:
- Using cloud-based case management software that allows your team to work from anywhere
- Automating routine tasks to free up your team’s time for higher-value work
- Developing streamlined processes to handle a large volume of complex cases
For more information on how to set your firm up for success, request a demo of Neos, Assembly’s cloud-based case management solution.
