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The Importance of Car Accident Statistics
As a law firm, we are continually exposed to the catastrophic consequences of car accidents. Aside from the horrendous pain and suffering, massive medical expenses need to be met. Lost wages, opportunities, life-altering disabilities, and disruption of all typical aspects of life have severe negative consequences for all involved.
Car accident statistics offer an interesting insight into whether accidents are reducing. There are contributing factors from drivers, motor vehicle manufacturers, road health and safety authorities, and law enforcement. We all need to work together to lower crash statistics in everyone’s best interests. We should aim to work with the Springfield police to reduce accidents.
What Are Accident Statistics Used for?
Accident statistics can be used as an aid for risk assessment and to develop solutions to potential risks. Statistical records can help prevent fatal accidents and injuries and control costs from accidental loss.
It is important that authorities pay attention to accident statistics in their city so that engineering solutions can be applied to them. For example, the city’s most dangerous roads or intersections may require the installation of traffic lights to help reduce their dangers. Public Works Traffic Engineering needs to take steps to reduce the number of traffic-related accidents. It is, therefore, essential to report all accidents to the police so that more information is readily available and dangers can be identified.
Further, accident statistics are critical to lawmakers as they enact car accident laws aimed at reducing and punishing negligent and reckless behavior.
It should be noted that even though just compensation is often not enough to fully restore the status quo, monetary compensation ensures you are not left with a significant financial burden after the accident. Enlisting the help of skilled personal injury lawyers is an excellent way of ensuring that your case is represented effectively in court.
Are We Winning or Losing in 2023?
In December 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report on traffic fatalities in 2022.
The report noted 31,785 deaths from traffic accidents from January through September 2022. The same period in 2021 saw 31,850 deaths, showing a 0.2% decrease in 2022.
This is even though more Americans are driving now than during peak pandemic periods. In fact, there was a 1.6% increase in vehicle miles traveled.
1.30 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled were recorded in the first nine months of 2022, as compared to the projected rate of 1.32 deaths during the same time in 2021.
Springfield Versus National Accident Statistics
At the end of September 2022, Springfield, Missouri, experienced a reduction in fatal accidents by 3%-4%. During the same period, fatal crashes had increased by almost 10% nationally.
Fatal car accidents tend to dominate the statistics. Still, it is worth bearing in mind that crashes in which there are survivors are just as devastating with serious consequences, often including legal battles and insurance claims for all.
Missouri Accident Statistics
Fatalities
Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety (MCRS) reported 1,048 road traffic deaths by the end of 2022, up from 1,016 in 2021. This was the highest number of fatalities since 2006. Thus, the death toll exceeded 1,000 in a year for two consecutive years.
Additionally, the MCRS has undertaken several projects aimed at reducing traffic fatalities. In these projects, law enforcement, engineering, education, and emergency medical services work together to make roads safer.
Public Responsibilities
The public plays a significant role in accident statistics. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that human error caused 94% to 96% of car accidents in 2016. Therefore, we all must do our part to reduce road accidents and fatalities.
Seat Belts
Did you know that in the U.S., traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged two through thirty-three?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report titled Lives Saved in 2017 by Restraint Use and Minimum Drinking Age Laws, seat belt use saved approximately 14,955 lives in 2017. An additional 325 children aged four and below were saved due to the use of child restraints.
A World Health Organization report found that people are 45% more likely to survive a crash if correctly seatbelted.
The NHTSA estimates that child safety seats in passenger cars have been found to reduce deaths by 71 percent for children under one, 54% for children aged one to four, and 45% for children between four and eight.
Contrast this with the fact that six people were found not to have been wearing their seat belts for every ten traffic fatalities in Missouri.
It just makes sense to use seat belts and child safety seat restraints, as emphasized by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. They save lives and reduce the economic costs, pain, and suffering associated with crashes.
Unfortunately, we are often helpless with regard to most contributing factors of a car accident. However, wearing a seatbelt is something we can exert control over. It is highly recommended that all of us use our seatbelts and child restraints at all times. We all stand to gain.
Speeding Statistics and Missouri Drivers
The most common factor in Missouri crashes is speed. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety reports that at least forty percent of all traffic fatalities in Missouri are caused by or exacerbated by excessive speed. The report further highlights that at least one aggressive driver is involved in more than half of all fatal crashes in Missouri.
Compared to driving under the influence, excessive speed and aggressive driving are twice as likely to contribute to deadly accidents.
The faster the speed, the more destruction. This is especially true with accidents between vehicles and cyclists. An accident at twenty miles per hour sees the cyclist surviving 90% of the time. However, at forty miles per hour, the chance of survival plummets to twenty percent.
In order to reduce accidents and fatalities, we all need to take personal responsibility for our actions. So, next time you feel tempted to put your foot down, remember that our society is also responsible for reducing accidents. A five- or ten-minute delay could save someone’s life.
Steps to Take Following a Car Accident in Springfield, MO
Being in a car accident can be devastating, and the experience could be different for each individual. But remember that your safety and well-being is important than anything else.
Here are some suggestions on what you can do following a car accident to ensure your safety and security.
- MAKE SURE YOU ARE OUT OF DANGER
If you have been in an accident and in your senses, try to get a hold o yourself and get out of the vehicle. You need to stay in a safe place. Sometimes, vehicles involved in accidents can get worse following the collision. But several factors play in the scene. Although it is very rare, sometimes vehicle fires can occur.
- CHECK FOR INJURIES AND SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
Even if you think that you are in your senses and feeling alright, you still need to seek medical attention. There must be some hidden injuries that might need immediate attention. Otherwise, the whole situation would worsen.
- REPORT THE ACCIDENT
If you and any other person haven’t reported the accident yet, you need to report it to the police right away. Call 911 to contact the police so that any time-dependant evidence will get secured before it is too late.
- OBTAIN A COPY OF POLICE RECORDS
When in an accident, it is very likely that the case will be presented in front of court judges. You need to be prepared from day one. It is important that you keep a copy of the police’s initial report so that it can help you later when you want to proceed with the case.
- UNDERGO A DETAILED MEDICAL CHECKUP
Once you have got a hold of the situation, you need to undergo a detailed medical checkup to see how much this accident has affected you. In many cases, the injured person gets several undiagnosed underlying issues associated with accidents, but they find out later when they can’t receive compensation for it.
So, it is important to create a medical report of all of your injuries and suffering. It will help you get fair compensation for your losses.
Do You Need an Accident Attorney?
If you have been injured in a car accident and believe another party was at fault, don’t hesitate to hire the services of skilled accident attorneys in Missouri to assess your case and advise you on your rights. We have close to forty years of experience practicing Missouri accident and personal injury law.
Contact Buchanan, Williams & O’Brien, P.C. for a free consultation today!
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