Did you know, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans get into 10.8 million car accidents every year? You might think that, with over 200 million drivers on the roads, 10.8 million is a pretty good number, that it shows that Americans are pretty safe drivers. However, what if you were to hear that more than 36,000 people lose their lives every year as the result of a car accident? What if you found out that number is growing?
For the most part, car accidents result in minor vehicular damage and some physical injury to drivers. That’s why, according to statistics from the Legal Finance Journal, personal injury trials represent over 60% of all the 30,000 tort cases that go to trial annually. As you might imagine, this keeps auto accident lawyers plenty busy throughout the year.
Whether it’s a matter of having to go to court to seek car accident compensation with experienced auto accident lawyers or it’s a matter of having to bury a family member, one thing remains true: we can help improve the roads for ourselves and our children.
What Are the Most Common Causes of American Car Accidents?
- Driving at Excess Speeds
- Operating a Vehicle Drunk
- Texting while Driving
As the statistics from Statistic Brain Show, speeding causes 32% of all car accidents in the United States, more than any other single cause. Why do drivers speed? Is it just a matter of needing to get somewhere quickly? According to the New York Times, most drivers who speed believe they can drive safely at higher velocities. Unfortunately, that mentality will land you in a court room with auto injury attorneys if you’re lucky, in a morgue if you’re not.
Would you be surprised to know that 30 people die every day in the United States because of a driver operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol? In total, that’s well over 10,000 deaths a year because people choose to drive drunk. That accounts for 31% of all traffic fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Texting while driving has been a divisive issue between American citizens and lawmakers over the last decade. Texting, many claim, has no impact on the way people drive. If you were to talk to an experienced injury lawyer, however, you’d quickly change your tune. As any auto accident lawyers worth their salt can tell you, texting while driving makes it 23-times more likely you’ll be in a car accident. Even though texting while driving is outlawed in 41 states, there are still 1.3 million accidents caused by texting every year, as statistics from TextingandDrivingSafety.com show.
As you can see, the most common causes of car accidents in the United States have nothing to do with poor weather, mechanical failure, or anything else beyond our control. The things that are killing our citizens, our family and friends, are all choices we make. Help make the roads a safer place. Don’t text behind the wheel, drive drunk, or speed. Good references here: St. louis employment lawyer