This article features some interesting auto accident statistics collected by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA):
Causes of Auto Accidents
More than 39 percent of all traffic fatalities each year are attributed to alcohol use. Even if a driver was close to the legal limit when given a breathalyzer test after an accident, driving functions were probably impaired by consuming alcohol. Almost half of intoxicated drivers involved in fatal auto accidents were also speeding.
Outside distractions (events that happen outside the car that distract the driver's attention) contribute to up to 30 percent of
auto accidents.
About one-third of all fatal auto accidents occur when at least one of the drivers involved was driving above the posted speed limit or too fast for road conditions.
Two-thirds of drivers over the age of 50 reported using prescribed or over-the-counter medications that are known to impair driving. Dozens of prescription drugs list such side effects as forgetfulness and confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, and drowsiness.
Nearly half of drivers over the age of 50 reported having medical conditions known to impair driving abilities, such as heart arrhythmia, hypoglycemia, retinal deterioration, arthritis leading to physical limitations, and depression.
Approximately 36 percent of all auto accidents happen when one or more vehicles are turning or crossing at an intersection, followed by 22 percent when one of the vehicles drives off the edge of the road.
In about 21 percent of accidents studied by NHTSA, the driver either failed to look, or looked but didn't see, when it was critical to safely complete a vehicle maneuver. Inadequate surveillance, as it's known, is a common error in near-miss accidents as well.
A driver who is actually fully asleep causes about 3.1 percent of all accidents.
NHTSA does not track injuries due to auto accidents, only fatalities. Thus, there is no governing body for collecting statistics related to non-fatal injuries caused by auto accidents and bad drivers.
If you have been injured in an auto accident, consult a
personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.