Car Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the United States has approximately 200 million registered motor vehicles. The convenience of having a car to drive comes at a great price to many people on our streets and highways. This price may be more costly than you realize; over six million people get into auto accidents every year. Someone dies in one of these accidents every 12 minutes; this is approximately 115 people each day. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, you know that the statistics are very real.
Drunk Driving
In 2008, there were 37, 261 deaths as a result of car crashes. 11,773 of these deaths were as a result of drunk driving. 1,347 of these deaths caused by drunk drivers were children under the age of 14. Driving at night in 2008 meant that you were four times more likely to die in a crash involving a drunk driver than if you drove only during daylight hours. If you drove on the weekends, you were twice as likely to encounter a drunk driver on the road than if you stayed home or walked to your destination. People in the 21 – 24 year old age group accounted for 34% of all alcohol-impaired drivers who died in auto accidents in 2008 in the United States. Even more alarming is that underage drinking and driving is leading to fatal car crashes and taking the lives of 5,000 teenage drivers each year.
Teen Car Collisions
According to the Centers for Disease Control, car crashes are the leading cause of death of teens in the United States and accidents while driving cause 36% of all deaths in this age group. 400,000 teenage drivers are seriously injured in car crashes. Teenage drivers make up 10% of the United States population, but they account for 12% of all fatal car accidents. Teenage drivers (both male and female) account for 30% or $26 billion in total cost of auto accidents in the U.S. A male teenage driver is one and a half times more likely to be killed in an auto accident than a female. Speeding and drunk driving account for most of the fatalities for young drivers and inexperience and not wearing a seat belt were also factors.
Cell Phone and Texting Crashes
Another danger on the road is people talking on a cell phone or texting while driving. Talking on a cell phone causes nearly 25% of all car accidents. In 2008, 6,000 people died and 500,000 were injured because of cell phone usage. Approximately 70% of all car accidents are caused by “distracted drivers”. People who text while driving are 23% more likely to get into an accident than people who don’t text while driving. In 2005, the NHTSA found that 10% of all drivers use cell phones at any given hour of the day. Drivers who use cell phones while driving are four times more likely to get into a serious car accident. Talking on a cell phone or texting while driving is dangerous behavior and puts you and your family at risk. Just because it is now against the law to use a hand held cell phone while driving, doesn’t mean you are safe on the highways and roads.
Stay Safe
Given these shocking statistics, it is important to remember to be alert of your surroundings as well as other drivers on the road. You may encounter distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or someone who just doesn’t have enough experience to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. A driver can be held legally responsible for your injuries if he/she failed to act properly while operating a motor vehicle. Pennsylvania auto accident attorneys are familiar with all the complexities of dealing with insurance companies and establishing fault or negligence.
For more information on auto accident prevention, what to do after being in a vehicle collision in Pennsylvania, and to keep up-to-date on the latest cell phone laws and other traffic legislation, refer to the posts on PA Law Blogs, managed and run by Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers.
Auto Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the United States has approximately 200 million registered motor vehicles. The convenience of having a car to drive comes at a great price to many people on our streets and highways. This price may be more costly than you realize; over six million people get into auto accidents every year. Someone dies in one of these accidents every 12 minutes; this is approximately 115 people each day. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, you know that the statistics are very real.
Drunk Driving
In 2008, there were 37, 261 deaths as a result of car crashes. 11,773 of these deaths were as a result of drunk driving. 1,347 of these deaths caused by drunk drivers were children under the age of 14. Driving at night in 2008 meant that you were four times more likely to die in a crash involving a drunk driver than if you drove only during daylight hours. If you drove on the weekends, you were twice as likely to encounter a drunk driver on the road than if you stayed home or walked to your destination. People in the 21 – 24 year old age group accounted for 34% of all alcohol-impaired drivers who died in auto accidents in 2008 in the United States. Even more alarming is that underage drinking and driving is leading to fatal car crashes and taking the lives of 5,000 teenage drivers each year.
Teen Car Collisions
According to the Centers for Disease Control, car crashes are the leading cause of death of teens in the United States and accidents while driving cause 36% of all deaths in this age group. 400,000 teenage drivers are seriously injured in car crashes. Teenage drivers make up 10% of the United States population, but they account for 12% of all fatal car accidents. Teenage drivers (both male and female) account for 30% or $26 billion in total cost of auto accidents in the U.S. A male teenage driver is one and a half times more likely to be killed in an auto accident than a female. Speeding and drunk driving account for most of the fatalities for young drivers and inexperience and not wearing a seat belt were also factors.
Cell Phone and Texting Crashes
Another danger on the road is people talking on a cell phone or texting while driving. Talking on a cell phone causes nearly 25% of all car accidents. In 2008, 6,000 people died and 500,000 were injured because of cell phone usage. Approximately 70% of all car accidents are caused by “distracted drivers”. People who text while driving are 23% more likely to get into an accident than people who don’t text while driving. In 2005, the NHTSA found that 10% of all drivers use cell phones at any given hour of the day. Drivers who use cell phones while driving are four times more likely to get into a serious car accident. Talking on a cell phone or texting while driving is dangerous behavior and puts you and your family at risk. Just because it is now against the law to use a hand held cell phone while driving, doesn’t mean you are safe on the highways and roads.
Stay Safe
Given these shocking statistics, it is important to remember to be alert of your surroundings as well as other drivers on the road. You may encounter distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or someone who just doesn’t have enough experience to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. A driver can be held legally responsible for your injuries if he/she failed to act properly while operating a motor vehicle. Pennsylvania auto accident attorneys are familiar with all the complexities of dealing with insurance companies and establishing fault or negligence.
For more information on auto accident prevention, what to do after being in a vehicle collision in Pennsylvania, and to keep up-to-date on the latest cell phone laws and other traffic legislation, refer to the posts on PA Law Blogs, managed and run by the personal injury lawyers at Anapol Schwartz.
