A recent broadcast on CNBC discussed the issue of car accidents and statistics related to them. Here are some:
- There is one motor vehicle accident in the U.S. every 10 seconds.
- The average U.S. driver has an accident once every ten years.
- 25 percent of accidents result in injury.
- One percent of accidents causes death.
- Young male drivers are the most dangerous.
- Northeastern cities such as New York have the highest rates of motor vehicle accidents. This is not related to driving habits but rather dense populations and congested, older roads.
- Distracted driving is the main cause of car accidents. Between 25 and 50 percent of crashes result from some type of distracted driving, according to AAA.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving behaviors include:
- Texting
- Using a cell phone or smartphone
- Eating and drinking
- Talking to passengers
- Grooming
- Reading, including maps
- Using a navigation system
- Watching a video
- Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
- Other causes of motor vehicle accidents are driver fatigue, drunk driving, speeding, aggressive driving, and bad weather. There are at least 7,000 weather-connected fatal crashes each year – far more than fatal incidents related to tornadoes, floods or other storms. The Weather Channel says that when roads are covered with rain, snow or ice, drivers should leave three times as much room between vehicles as they normally would.
Staying alert, avoiding distractions and paying attention to the weather are all important ways that drivers can avoid accidents. However, in some cases a crash is unavoidable because another driver fails to observe these guidelines for safe driving.