We treat driving as second nature, but rarely do we realize how life as we know it can change in an instant. Defensive driving will forever be one of the most important rules of the road. When we are alert and aware of our surroundings and our own driving behavior, we save lives.
Let's look at a few statistics that might offer perspective as we continue to maneuver the roads and teach our children safe driving practices.
Traffic Injuries & Fatalities
- Automobile crashes cause up to 50 million injuries every year around the world.
- An average of 3,287 people die every day as a result of a car accident.
- For over 20 years, speeding has been a factor in about 1/3 of all vehicle fatalities.
- Almost 1,000 people die every year as a result of running red lights.
- Over 50% of all road traffic deaths around the world include pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
- For young adults between the ages of 15 and 29, car accidents are the leading cause of death.
Aggressive Drivers
- Over 50% of the 5 million annual car collisions in the US are caused by aggressive drivers.
- Aggressive driving also causes over 60% of traffic fatalities.
- Almost 40% of aggressive driving incidincts involve a firearem.
- More than 50% of drivers on the receiving end of aggressive behavior admit to responding with aggressive behavior themselves.
- Male and younger drivers between the ages of 19 and 39 are significantly more likely to engage in aggressive driving behaviors.
- Rear-end collisions account for almost 30% of all crashes.
- Tailgating contributes to more than 1/3 of all automobile crashes.
Children & Teens
- Around 250 deaths per year are caused when a vehicle backs up onto a person. About 30% of these deaths are children under 5 years of age.
- Drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 have the lowest seat belt use rate.
- Teens between the ages of 15 and 20 without driver education are responsible for over 90% of teen driver car crashes.
Distracted Driving
- Dialing a phone number while driving increase a person's risk of crashing by twelve times.
- The most common cause of distracting driving crashes is being lost in thought.
- Drivers who miss 2 to 3 hours of sleep (out of the recommended 7 hours) within 24 hours are four times more likely to cause a car accident.
- Almost 30 people die every day in the US as a result of a drunk driving accident.
Statistics from Driving-Tests.org.
If you have been injured in an automobile collision, you are not just a statistic. Call a Jacksonville car accident attorney at Wilkes & Mee to start your path towards peace of mind.
If you have been injured in an automobile collision, you are not just a statistic. Call a Jacksonville car accident attorney at Wilkes & Mee to start your path towards peace of mind.