What are the chances of finding yourself in a car accident
Have you ever actually wondered what are the chances you might be involved in a car crash once you get on the road? According to Driver Knowledge approximately 6 million car accidents happen every year in the United States. While many of these accidents are not fatal, thousands of people do die every year mostly due to human error.
Your Chances of Getting Into a Car Accident
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, car-accident fatalities have declined by more than a third in the past three years. This continues a period of decline since 1985. This decrease is mostly attributed to the improved structural designs of vehicles and the addition of advanced safety features such as lane detection, adaptive cruise control, and brake assist.
However these new innovations can only do so much if the driver is unprepared or irresponsible.The most common causes of car accidents are:
- Distracted driving. This is the leading cause of car accidents killing approximately 9 people everyday. This is more than talking or texting on your phone. It includes changing the radio station, handing an item to a back seat passenger, and eating or drinking while driving.
- Drunk driving. Driving while being drunk is one of the leading causes of accidents in the US. If you are going to drink make sure you are responsible and make plans such as Uber or Lyft.
- Breaking the speed limits. Speeding is the second most common cause of accidents. The faster you drive, the slower your reaction time.
- Reckless driving. Drivers that are speeding well over the limit, changing lanes too quickly, or driving aggressively.
- Driving in bad weather conditions. Drivers that are driving in dense fog, excessive rain, high winds, slick roads can cause accidents, especially if they are inexperienced or unprepared for the road conditions.
- Not stopping at a red light. Drivers can cause serious fatal accidents by running a red light or disobeying road signs.
- Driving during nighttime. Reduced visibility during nighttime can make obstacles and hazards harder to spot. Drivers should make sure they use the full lights when they are on a road without street lights and raise their alertness levels.
For more information on how to avoid a car accident visit our page 20 Ways to Prevent a Car Accident.
Car Crash Statistics
Oklahoma Statistics according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office
Traffic Crash Toll for 2018:
195 crashes occurred daily
89 persons were injured in a crash daily
1.8 fatalities occurred on Oklahoma roads
Statewide Mileage Death Rate (per 100 million VMT) 1.44
On The Clock
8 crashes occurred every hour
1 crash occurred every 7.4 minutes
1 fatality occurred every 13.4 hours.
MORE CRASHES OCCURRED
on Friday than any other day of the week
in October than any other month of the year
between 5:00pm and 5:59pm than any other hour of the day
