Car accidents are far too common and injure and kill thousands of American each year. Below are some startling car accident statistics, and also how to not to become a car accident statistic yourself.
- Almost 1.3 million people are killed in car crashes around the world each year, with an average of 3300 per day.
- Six million car accidents happen in the US each year
- Three million Americans are hurt in car crashes each year
- Two million Americans experience permanent injuries from car accidents each year
- One in seven people do not wear a seatbelt when they are behind the wheel.
- People not wearing a seatbelt are 30 times more likely to be ejected during a crash.
- At least 20 to 50 million per year are injured or disabled.
- Road crashes are the 9th leading cause of death and are responsible for 2.2% of deaths around the world.
- Each year, almost 400,000 people are killed on roads all over the world, which is an average of 1000 per day.
- Over 90% of road deaths happen in lower- and middle-income countries which have less than 50% of the world’s vehicles.
If you want to avoid becoming a car accident statistic yourself, follow these guidelines:
- Do not use a cell phone while driving. The National Safety Council finds that 1.6 million crashes per year involve drivers on cell phones. About 11% of all drivers say they use a cell phone when driving.
- Do not speed. Most deaths associated with car accidents involve speeding. Even if you are following the speed limit in poor weather or limited visibility, you still should slow down.
- Do not drink and drive. It is illegal in all states to drive if your BAC is .08% or higher, but it is still dangerous to drive even if you are below the legal limit. Your judgement and reflexes can still be affected even after just one or two drinks. You also can be charged with DUI if the police officer thinks your driving ability has been affected by alcohol consumption, regardless of what your BAC is.
- Do not tailgate. Tailgating means you are following too closely to the vehicle in front of you. If the car in front of you slows down suddenly, you are more likely to get into a car accident. Despite what people think, tailgating does not really get you to your destination much faster. On average, you might gain 30 seconds by tailgating for several hours, if you do not get in an accident.
- Do not drive distracted. Driving is a complex task and requires our full attention to do safely. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by anything when you are driving, including cell phones, the radio, food or drink, passengers, etc.
- Stay in your lane. It is common for people to drift out of their lane and get in accidents. This is often due to driver distraction. Pay attention to the road at all times.
Do not run red lights. People are often in a hurry to get where they are going and will push it by going through red lights. This can cause a very serious T-bone crash that can be fatal. Always obey traffic signals.
