Auto Accident Statistics Every Safety-Conscious Driver Needs to Know
When you take a seat behind the wheel of your car, you may not expect that instead of ending up at your destination, you end up in a crash. According to a report on Forbes.com, you will file a claim with your insurance company something like once every 17 or 18 years if you are an average driver. The thing is, no matter how safe you are when you hit the road or how much attention you pay to roadway rules, there is always a chance that another driver is not doing the same. Here are a few of the surprising statistics every safety-conscious driver should know.
Distracted Drivers Are a Major Threat. Every day in the United States, nine people are involved in a fatal accident that involves a distracted driver. Additionally, more than 1,100 people are injured in distracted driver accidents. If you are a driver, not only do you need to make sure you are not distracted by cell phones, the radio, or anything else, but you have to be on the lookout for other drivers who could be distracted. Slow reaction times at stops, swerving over the lines, and catching a glimpse of a neighboring driver on their cell phone should be cause for you to start paying closer attention to the other driver to avoid an accident.
Intoxicated Drivers Are Common. You may think that drunk drivers are really no big threat where you live, but one statistic will likely open your eyes to just how serious the problem with intoxicated drivers really is no matter where you live. Two out of every three drivers will be involved in an accident that is associated with an intoxicated driver in their lifetime. In 2013 alone, more than 10,000 people died as a result of a crash involving a drunk driver.
Big Trucks and Semis are Dangerous. You may share the highway everyday with big semi trucks, but you should know that sharing the highway with these monstrous vehicles is incredibly dangerous. Driving without enough sleep is common among drivers, and so is the number of drivers who claim they have fallen asleep behind the wheel. It is actually estimated that as many as 40,000 injuries may be caused by a drowsy driver every year.
You could follow all of the rules and be excessively careful when you get in your car and drive, but no matter what you do, you could still end up in a crash. If you have been injured in an auto accident by another driver, talk to an auto accident attorney for advice. Go to sites of attorneys in your local area to get started.
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