Thousands of individuals get hurt and die in car crashes every year. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 37,461 people died in traffic collisions in 2016. This is the highest number of car accident fatalities since 2007. The fact that there are so many fatal accidents is sad and disturbing.
But what exactly is causing all these deadly wrecks? Here are some of the top reasons that people die in motor vehicle crashes:
1. Speeding
Speeding is the number one factor in traffic deaths. It consistently causes more than twenty-five percent of crash fatalities year after year. Exceeding the speed limit, driving too fast for road/weather conditions and racing are all dangerous behaviors that can have deadly consequences.
2. Safety belt use
People who do not use restraints in vehicles are more likely to die than those who properly use seat belts. The good news is that seatbelt use is increasing, a forty-five percent increase of drivers wearing their seatbelts between 1995 and 2016, specifically.
3. Distractions
Anything that diverts the focus of drivers away from the responsibility of driving safely is dangerous. Distracting tasks include talking on the phone, texting, talking to passengers, eating and adjusting climate or radio controls.
4. Driving under the influence
Motorists who get behind the wheel while high or drunk put their lives and the lives of everyone else on the road at serious risk. The effects of drugs and alcohol cause motorists to not drive safely, meaning they are more likely to cause accidents.
5. Driver fatigue
Some people are just too tired while they are driving. A driver who does not get enough sleep may drive similarly to as if he or she is drunk. Slow reaction times and swerving often result in traffic fatalities.
If someone you care about dies because of a car collision, you may be able to receive compensation by filing a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit.