Facts About Fatal Car Accidents You Should Know

One of the greatest technologies ever made, the automobile has made it feasible for people to go farther and more affordably than anyone could have imagined. Car travel has genuinely changed the globe by making distant towns and cities accessible and allowing people to connect with friends, family, and business clients over long distances. 

Vehicle Accident Data

31,575 fatal automobile crashes happened in 2013 alone, making them one of the most common preventable causes of death in America (1,162 fatal car crashes occurred in Florida in 2009). America is currently ranked sixth among the countries with the highest number of deadly automobile crashes annually (the top five being China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria), although thankfully, the number of fatal car crashes has been declining over the past several decades.

Based on data from The Association For Safe International Road Travel, here are some additional crucial details regarding fatal auto accidents to be aware of:

• Every year, about 2.35 million people are hurt or rendered incapacitated in accidents.
• Every year, more than 1,600 children under the age of 15 pass away.
• In collisions involving drivers between the ages of 16 and 20, around 8,000 people die.
• The United States loses $230.6 billion a year due to crashes, or $820 per person on average. 

Types of Car Accidents

There are many vehicle accident scenarios that are primarily related to personal injury law and result in serious injuries or death. Let's investigate more closely:

Distracted Driving: 3,179 persons lost their lives and 431,000 were wounded in motor vehicle incidents involving distracted drivers in 2014, according to distraction.gov. Given the plethora of distractions that drivers may encounter, it is not surprising that deaths resulting from distracted driving are so common. Actually, by definition, "distracted driving" can refer to ANY of the following behaviors: 

• Utilizing a smartphone or cell phone 
• Consuming food and beverages 
• Conversing with travelers 
• Cleaning
• Reading (with maps) 
• Making use of a GPS 
• Observing a video 
• Making changes to an MP3 player, CD player, or radio

As a driver, it is your duty to deliberately prevent distractions so that you can keep your attention on the road in front of you. If your driving causes an accident that results in the death of another driver or passenger due to distraction, you may be sentenced to jail for vehicular manslaughter and may also be responsible for the victim(s)' medical bills. Remember that you can prevent all of this simply by maintaining your focus on the road! 

Technically speaking, texting while driving is a subset of distracted driving, but in recent years, it has become such a serious hazard for drivers that it has been decided to merit its own section. Examine the following data gathered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (#2), Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (#4), National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (#3, #5, #6), and National Safety Council (#1):

• Approximately 25% of ALL vehicle accidents include texting and driving (1.3 million crashes). 
• Eleven teenagers countrywide lose their lives to texting and driving every day. 
• The danger of an accident increases by 23 times when you drive while texting. 
• If you text and drive, it will cause an 18% reduction in reaction time. 
• The chance of an accident when driving while texting is six times higher than when driving while intoxicated. 
• Texting and driving is the same as driving after four beers. 

The vast majority of Americans regularly drive (46 percent of people over 16 have a driver's license as of 2010), and each time you get behind the wheel, you run the danger of being involved in a deadly car accident that is not your fault. You should get in touch with a car accident lawyer right away if this occurs to a loved one.