The number of car accidents in the Bay Area is on the rise.
The uptick began in 2010 and data shows that the 43 percent growth seen in 2016 is because there are more drivers on the road as the region is in the throes of economic prosperity, according to a Vital Signs report.
The North Bay counties of Napa, Sonoma and Solano have the highest fatality rates, Vital Signs found.
By contrast, San Francisco has the lowest fatality rate in the Bay Area, but, per mile driven, is also one of the most dangerous regions in the area. That explains why bicyclists and motorists account for a majority of the deaths in the city by the bay.
The six-year period investigated in this report marks the first sustained surge in road fatalities since the 1970s, which experienced similar conditions due to economic growth.
