Did you know that there are about six million car accidents in the United States every year?
That number might be hard to put into perspective. So, just how common are car accidents? Six million accidents a year means there are over sixteen thousand car accidents a day in the US alone.
Car accidents are more common than many people think. Not every accident will be a serious one, but it’s important to know the risks involved with driving a car.
How Common are Car Accidents, Really?
Based on the numbers from earlier, more than eleven car accidents in the US happen every minute of every day!
Some studies show that more car accidents happen at city intersections than on major highways. Many factors contribute to this, including turns, people trying to catch yellow or red lights, and more.
Internationally, car crashes are the number one cause of death for people aged 15 to 24.
Most car accidents are minor ones, but over half of all car accidents lead to injuries or death. And the majority of car accidents, even minor ones, often result in some kind of property damage.
Car Accident Causes and Complications
Car accident deaths are pretty common, in fact, almost one and a quarter million people die in car accidents globally every year.
Even if you survive a car accident, there is still a high risk of serious injury. Concussions are a common complication of car accidents, and over 17 percent of concussions are caused by car accidents.
Car accidents are often caused by drunk or distracted driving. According to the CDC, nearly 30 people die in drunk driving accidents every day.
Distracted driving, such as texting while driving, also accounts for a large percentage of car accident deaths. Wearing a seat belt while driving can cut your risk of injury in a car accident down by half.
Car accidents also cause billions of dollars of property damage every year. Some of this is personal property, such as totaling your car, but a lot of this also goes towards replacing accident-damaged street lights or traffic signs.
What Should You Do If You Get in an Accident?
If you do get into a car accident, the first thing you should do is check and see if you and your passengers are okay. If anyone is injured or seriously hurt, see if you can call an ambulance.
Then, try to get to safety. Once everyone is safe and you are off the road, you should exchange insurance information with the other driver, and call to file a police report.
You should also check out Street Lawyers for everything else you need to know after a car accident.
The Importance of Safe Driving
So, how common are car accidents? Common enough that you need to protect yourself in case it ever happens to you. It’s important to remember that you can prevent some car crashes by practicing safe driving.
Remember not to drink and drive, and remember to wear a seat belt! If you do get into an accident, remember to stay calm, and call for help.
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