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Warren Buffett Blames 14% Fatal Accident Increase on Texting

WSJ Live: “Fatal car accidents in the U.S. are up 14% of over last year and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett blames a rise in drivers texting while driving. WSJ’s Anupreeta Das explains on Lunch Break With Tanya Rivero.”

Alarming news for drivers: there’s been a startling 14% fatal accident increase during the first six months of 2015. In a clip from Lunch Break With Tanya Rivero, WSJ’s Anupreeta Das outlines the different factors that have also influenced the sudden traffic fatality spike:

  • Improving Economy: More jobs and a growing economy means even more cars on the road- causing an increase in fatal accident risks.
  • Gas prices are lower, meaning people are on the road longer.
  • Drunk Driving incidents have significantly lowered, therefore the increase of accident fatalities is not directly connected to and increase of drunk driving accidents.
  • Cars are getting increasingly safer too, which points to drivers becoming more unsafe as years progress!

For the first 6 months of 2015 there has been a 3.5% increase in mileage the first six months of the year. Buffett attributes the difference between the small increase in driver mileage and the 14% fatal accident increase to texting and driving. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns Geico, who has reported a rise in the number and severity of claims going this year. Hopefully more CEOs in the insurance industry will also get real about the fatalities caused by distracted driving. Together we can find solutions. #ItCanWait.

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