Highway Accidents: By the Numbers

Whether you drive on two, four, or 18 wheels, one constant remains: Highways are highly dangerous. They’re the place where drivers go the fastest, often disregarding the speed limit in favor of cutting a few minutes off their commute. Although vehicles are now much safer than they used to be, there’s often no avoiding injury in highway crashes. From broken bones and internal bleeding to head trauma and spinal cord injuries, these accidents can have lasting, devastating effects.

While statistics specific to highway accidents are not in abundance, a number of organizations track auto crash statistics as a whole. Here’s a look at the numbers.

Car Accident Statistics

Every year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shares traffic safety facts. Its most recent figures, from 2017, reveal the following:

• More than 37,000 Americans died in car crashes.
• Most fatal traffic accidents took place in passenger vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks).
• Motorcycles accounted for 14% of all traffic deaths.
• Nearly 3 in 10 fatal accidents involved alcohol.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization compiles crash statistic data from around the globe.

• Nearly 1.25 million people die in road collisions every year, or more than 3,000 per day.
• Between 20 million and 50 million people are injured or disabled in auto accidents every year.
• Most road traffic deaths occur in adults 44 years old and younger.
• Among people ages 15 to 29, road crashes are the leading cause of death.
• More than 1,000 people under the age of 25 die on the road each day.
• Globally, road traffic crashes are a top 10 cause of death, accounting for more than 2% of all fatalities.

Stay Safe on the Road

Whether you’re driving on a highway, city street, or dirt road, it’s important that you take steps to ensure your safety.

• Obey the speed limit: Speeding is one of the leading causes of auto accidents and can be deadly.
• Avoid distractions: Distracted driving — such as texting or playing games on your phone — is the leading cause of all car accidents. Distractions played a role in more than 3,000 U.S. auto accident deaths in 2017.
• Practice defensive driving: Buckle your seatbelt, never drive drunk, and stay well rested.
• Maintain a safe following distance: Be sure not to tailgate; instead, follow the two-second rule when on the highway. Pick a fixed object at the side of the road that takes you two seconds to reach, and you can gauge the distance you need to avoid a collision.

Contact Morgan & Morgan

Injuries from auto accidents can be serious or fatal, and the costs associated with medical care, rehabilitation, and time away from work can pile up quickly. Chances are, the insurance company for the at-fault driver will do all it can do to prevent you from collecting the damages you deserve following an accident. That’s why it’s essential that you hire a highly skilled car accident attorney. At Morgan & Morgan, our legal experts are well versed in investigating the cause of auto accidents and collecting evidence to prove the other driver was at fault. What’s more, we work on a contingency fee basis — there’s no upfront cost, and it’s free unless we win. Fill out a case evaluation at no cost to get started.