Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics
While car accident statistics vary greatly, the one thing that is known for sure is that the overall number of severe accidents and fatalities has risen in recent years. Drivers have adopted dangerous practices, and more motorists are on the road as the country grows. You never know whether you will reach your destination safely when you get behind the wheel, and getting into a car accident can be traumatic and overwhelming.
Even your legal rights in a car accident are uncertain. While you understand the general principle that the responsible driver has a legal obligation to pay you for the harm they caused, the insurance company tries throwing sand in the gears to the fullest extent possible. The only way to beat insurance companies at their own game is to hire a car accident lawyer to represent you throughout the legal process. A car accident attorney can be tough when necessary if the insurance company is trying to give you the runaround.
It is not in your best interests to wait to hire a car accident lawyer for your case because the more time passes, the more challenging your legal case can become. Getting legal help from a car accident lawyer does not cost you anything upfront.
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Millions of Americans Suffer Injuries Each Year in Car Accidents
Even though the number of motor vehicle accidents in the United States varies, there are roughly six million passenger car crashes annually. Accidents have increased over the past two decades as drivers have taken on more dangerous habits. Moreover, more cars are on the road as the country grows, leading to more collisions.
Car accident fatalities have dropped in many other countries over the last two decades as they institute various measures to improve road safety. The problem in the United States is that no matter what authorities do, drivers are the reason to blame for the deterioration in road safety.
In 2022, over 42,000 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents, undoing years of prior progress that had brought down the overall fatality rate. Although the rate of fatalities leveled off in 2023, it remains highly elevated. Further, over five million people sought medical treatment for their car accident injuries in 2022, and many of these car accident victims went to the hospital from the scene of the accident. Others saw a doctor in the days after the accident when they began to notice some symptoms of a car accident injury.
The Four Major Categories of Car Accidents
There are four primary types of car accidents:
- Approximately 30 percent of car accidents are rear-end crashes, which occur when a car rear-ends a stopped or slow-moving vehicle. Although rear-end car accidents have the lowest fatality rate among car crash categories, they are still dangerous because they can lead to whiplash injuries. Roughly 10 percent of people who suffer whiplash injuries become permanently disabled.
- Head-on accidents are the single most dangerous type of car crash because of the force the vehicles unleash on each other. Head-on crashes have fatality rates that are far disproportionate to the number of these accidents. Roughly 2 percent of the overall number of car accidents are head-on crashes. However, these accidents accounted for 14 percent of car accident fatalities.
- T-bone crashes can also be very dangerous for both drivers. If one driver fails to yield the right-of-way to another by running a stop sign or a red light, the front of one car will strike the broad side of another, potentially injuring both drivers. There are different estimates for the overall percentage of T-bone crashes, but they account for 23 percent of car accident fatalities in the United States.
- Sideswipe crashes occur when the sides of two cars (usually traveling in the same direction) make contact. Even if there is not a tremendous amount of force in the crash, sideswipe crashes can be dangerous because either driver can lose control of their car and end up in the path of another vehicle. Sideswipe crashes account for roughly 15 percent of the total number of car accidents, but they have a lower fatality rate.
Distracted Driving Accident Statistics
Despite the known and obvious dangers of texting while driving, many motorists continue to do it, where nearly one-half of drivers admit to sending or reading a text behind the wheel. Distracted driving does not just mean texting. Motorists can use their smartphones for other purposes behind the wheel or engage in other distracting behaviors.
Distracted driving accidents often cause severe injuries and fatalities because they occur at higher speeds with little effort to stop or avoid the crash. In a recent year, over 3,300 people lost their lives in these accidents, and hundreds of thousands more suffered an injury. The rate of distracted driving crashes has steadily increased over the past two decades because of the advent of the smartphone.
Drunk Driving Accident Statistics
Drunk driving continues to be a significant problem throughout the United States. Although each state has strict laws that punish the offense, drivers continue to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or taking controlled substances.
One person loses their life in a drunk driving crash every 39 minutes. Just under one-third of traffic accident fatalities occur in crashes that involve alcohol. When drivers get behind the wheel with a BAC of .08, their judgment is clouded, and their muscle coordination becomes poorer. They may be unable to process information or exercise the control necessary to moderate their speed. Drunk driving accidents result in serious injuries because of the speed and degree of recklessness.
Fatigued Driving Accident Statistics
Many motorists need to realize the dangers of fatigued driving because operating a vehicle without getting the proper rest can be every bit as dangerous as drunk driving. If you drive after not having slept for twenty hours, it will affect you as if you were driving with a BAC of .08. The situation becomes even more dangerous if you go even longer without sleeping before driving.
There are a wide variety of estimates of the number of crashes that involve fatigued driving. Some estimates place the number slightly under 100,000, while others have over 300,000. The number of fatigued driving accidents is likely inaccurate because some motorists do not admit to being tired at the accident scene. After all, they know the legal consequences.
You Can Receive Financial Compensation When the Driver Was Negligent
Suppose you or a loved one has become a statistic because you suffered an injury in a motor vehicle accident. In that case, you may have the right to substantial financial compensation if the other driver was negligent, and you can prove it. However, the other driver’s insurance company intends to make the claims process as difficult as possible for you, making it critical for you to hire a car accident lawyer. Their mission is to maximize the size of your settlement check by doing everything they can to take on the insurance company.
You Need to Learn the Cause of the Accident and Prove It
You may not know the exact cause of the accident at the scene or in the days afterward. When a car accident lawyer performs a full investigation, you can understand what happened and know someone else may owe you money. However, you only have a little time to get a car accident attorney on your case because you can quickly lose vital evidence that may establish your legal right to compensation.
Your car accident attorney may use the following to prove that the other driver should be liable for your accident injuries:
- Testimony from objective third-party witnesses who saw what happened and what the other driver did
- Pictures from the scene of the accident that may shed light on the cause
- The police report written by the officer who investigated the accident (although this report cannot be introduced as evidence in a lawsuit because it is hearsay)
- Dashcam or traffic camera footage
- Testimony from an accident reconstruction expert who will use principles of math and physics to reach their conclusion about which driver caused the accident
Insurance Companies May Try to Blame You for the Accident
In addition, your car accident lawyer may need to beat back allegations that you may somehow bear fault for the accident. Insurance companies blame you because they want to escape or reduce their liability. At the same time as your car accident lawyer is trying to prove that the other driver was negligent, they may also need to defend you from any allegations that you were partially or fully responsible for the accident. If the insurance companies manage to blame you successfully, they can reduce the compensation you get by the percentage of blame you bear for the accident.
Your Car Accident Lawyer Works to Get Top Dollar
Then, your car accident lawyer makes it their job to ensure that you get the largest settlement possible in light of your physical injuries and the effect that they had on your life. Because of your injuries, you may be unable to work, and you may also be dealing with emotional distress. The responsible driver must compensate you for all of these injuries. If they do not have enough insurance, you can file a claim against your car insurance coverage or hold the driver personally liable for your accident injuries. Your car accident attorney first provides value by helping you come up with an estimate of the amount of money that you are seeking.
Your car accident lawyer will negotiate with the insurance companies to get them to increase the amount they offer. Like any negotiator, insurance companies do not show their entire hand all at once and will make you a low settlement offer, knowing they have room to raise it in the future. However, your lawyer will use all the leverage available to you to maximize the amount of your settlement. Your most effective threat is to sue the driver in court and force the insurance company to defend the case. Insurance companies fear the courtroom because a jury can award you large sums of money.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer Right After the Crash
If you still need to make the call, the best thing you can do is hire a car accident attorney immediately. Retaining a car accident attorney means you do not have to worry about case details or dealing with the insurance company. An aggressive attorney does those tasks daily and has likely already earned a reputation with the insurance company, making them less likely to want to tangle with you. Insurance companies know who they are dealing with and make adjustments accordingly.
Finances are not a barrier between you and a car accident lawyer because you do not have to come up with any money to pay a lawyer. Car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not have to pay anything upfront. A contingency fee arrangement is typical in personal injury cases. Under this agreement, the car accident lawyer’s fees depend on the case’s successful outcome, and they only get paid if they can secure a settlement or a favorable verdict for you.
In addition to not having to pay upfront, a contingency fee arrangement also aligns the interests of the lawyer and the client. Since the lawyer’s fees depend on the case’s outcome, it incentivizes the lawyer to work diligently and maximize the client’s compensation. Knowing that your lawyer will work hard for your case can provide peace of mind.
After a car accident, hiring a lawyer who can guide you through the legal process, fight for your rights, and ensure that you receive fair compensation is essential. They have the experience, knowledge, and negotiation skills to handle your case effectively. Hiring a lawyer increases your chances of a successful outcome and alleviates the stress and burden of navigating the legal system on your own. Remember, when it comes to your rights and well-being, do not hesitate to seek the help of a qualified personal injury lawyer.