According to the NHSTA, auto accidents in general have declined over the last few years, but crash weights have hovered around 40,000. Vehicle safety has improved dramatically, but the number of vehicles on the road continuously increases too, keeping the total number high.
Some of the common causes of auto accidents are due to driver behavior, which is nearly impossible to change, despite efforts to improve safety awareness. The possibility of suffering personal injury or death is not always left up to you but is subject to the behavior of other drivers.
Driver inattention – There are so many things that can distract you while you are driving today. Other cars, cell phones, food, navigation system, and even Internet access all vie for your attention, keeping you from doing your job; driving. According to the NHSTA:
• 25 percent of accidents involved cell phone use
• 49 percent involved eating or drinking
• 66 percent were playing with the radio
• 81 percent were distracted by other passengers in the car
In crashes involving teens, the fatality rate increased for each passenger in the vehicle.
Driver inexperience – When all those distractions are mixed with inexperience, more auto accidents occur. Teenage drivers, arguably inexperienced, account for 16 percent of vehicle crashes reported to police and almost 13 percent of fatalities. Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teens age 15-20.
Many states are adopting graduated license programs in order to train up better drivers. These graduated license programs emphasize training and limit privileges for the earlier ages. As the teen gets older, more privileges are granted to them as long as their driving record is clean. According to the AAA, these licensing programs are providing effective in states that have adopted them.
Alcohol – Of course, the largest contributing factor to automobile accidents is alcohol consumption. There were over 17,000 auto accident fatalities in 2006 at all depreciation levels, which is 41 percent of all fatalities reported. Alcohol slows reaction times significantly and often also endows the imbiber with feelings of invulnerability, causing them to take greater risks. Unfortunately, the majority of alcohol related deaths are usually innocent victims.
Speed - The temptation to open up on flat, smooth stretches of highway is sometimes irresistible, especially with today's high performance automobiles. According to the NHTSA excessive speed contributed to 31 percent of speed related fatal crashes in 2006. With
Safety feature like airbags and seatbelts help to improve your chances of surviving an auto accident. More than half, 55 percent of the fatalities in 2006 were unrestrained. Almost 2 / 3rds of fatal accidents that occurred at night involved drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts. Whether you are driving or riding in a car, take a few seconds to buckle up, it could be the difference between life and death if an accident occurs.
Of course, many auto accidents combine one or more of these contributing factors. For victims of auto accidents, the reasons and causes are not important, the prospect of personal injury or wrongful death of a loved one will stay with you for the rest of your life. Auto accident fatalities involving young people are even more tragic.
