Car Accident Statistics
The number of cars and other vehicles on our roadways is increasing constantly. It is no surprise then that the number of car accidents have also grown substantially. It is estimated that nearly 40,000 people in the United States die each year as a result of car crashes. On an average, there are about 6 million car accidents on our roadways annually and more than 3 million people suffer some type of injury. Nearly 2 million of these injuries have permanent or lifelong effects on people.
National Statistics
Traffic accident fatalities have fortuitously declined over the last few years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 37,261 traffic accident fatalities in 2008. That number was down from 41,259 in 2007. Drivers accounted for 19,220 fatalities in 2008 and passengers accounted for 7,397 deaths. About 23 percent of all traffic accident fatalities and caused by drunk drivers, according to the FARS reports.
Washington State Car Accident Statistics
Car accident fatalities have also decreased in Washington State. While there were 571 fatal crashes in Washington State in 2007, that number came down to 521 in 2008 (a 9 percent drop). Also, in Washington State, 277 fatalities (53.2 percent) of those killed in car crashes were drivers. Ninety fatalities or 17.3 involved passengers. A majority of fatalities (90) involved people between 25 and 34 years of age. Also in Washington State, 295 car accident fatalities – about 57 percent – involved alcohol-related crashes. Out of those crashes, about 35 percent involved drivers who were operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher.
Distracted Driving Statistics
More recently, the federal government has released statistics involving distracted driving, especially incidents relating to the use of hand-held cell phones and texting. According to NHTSA, nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 as a result of car accidents involving a distracted driver. More than 500,000 were injured as a result of car crashes involving distracted drivers during the same year. The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years of age have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal auto accidents. Also, drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves, according to statistics provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Car accidents no doubt cause serious injuries and fatalities. If you have been in a serious car accident -- whether it involved a drunk, distracted or otherwise negligent driver -- you can seek compensation to cover your injuries, damages and losses. It is very important that you contact an experienced Seattle car accident attorney immediately to find out more information about how to pursue your rights. Please contact The Bernard Law Group for a free consultation and comprehensive evaluation of your car accident case.
IF YOU, OR A LOVED ONE, HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN WASHINGTON - CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION!
