In a time of fear over a global pandemic, those forced to quarantine in their residences to avoid catching a deadly virus can find few positives. The news continues to grim. An “end in sight” remains, at best, vague.
Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, has created an era that can only be described as unprecedented. Changing times have created troubling sights. Empty store shelves. Customers wearing masks. Signs that mandate social distancing. The seismic shift has created both uncertainty and a significant amount of anxiety.
A Sign of the Times
Roads once bustling with cars bumper to bumper has been replaced by a much smaller number of cars traveling without the impediments that come with traffic jams. Stay at home orders have forced drivers to stay within the confines of their respective residences.
While it represents another strange sight to behold, travelers and workers, particularly essential employees who require a crash-free drive to get to their jobs, are seeing the safety and monetary rewards of sparse roads.
Fewer drivers on roads, highways, and interstates throughout the United States are resulting in a significant reduction in motor vehicle collisions and, subsequently, fewer insurance claims. March of 2020 saw the lowest number of accidents since 1970.
With data provided by more than 80 insurance companies, Snapsheet reports that personal vehicles on the road declined by 40 to 50 percent. Commercial trucks, a common denominator in catastrophic collisions, fell 30 to 40 percent.
With accidents reducing in their frequency, insurers are rewarding their policyholders by providing premium discounts. Others are putting money back in their bank accounts, a much-needed cash influx during a time when unemployment is skyrocketing.
Eventually, vehicles of all sizes will return to the roads, and accidents will likely return to so-called “normal levels.” For now, drivers can reap the rewards of staying safe from both a virus and negligent drivers.