14 New Car Accident Statistics Released by the NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released their initial findings for 2013. Across the board, the roads were much safer in 2013 than they were in 2012. Here's a quick glimpse at how car accidents compare between the two years.

General Collision Statistics

Seatbelt Use +1%
Fatal Crashes-3.1%
Fatalities -3.1%
People Injured -2.1%
Speeding-Related Fatalities -6.9%
Police-Reported Crashes +1.3%

The total number of collisions reported rose over the prior year. Interestingly, though, most other areas decreased, including deadly and injury-causing collisions. This may be in part because seat belt use was up, though the numbers do not correlate exactly. The NHTSA has only released preliminary figures at this point and has not indicated why they believe we saw such drastic decreases.

Drunk Driving

Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatal Crashes-2.3%

Although no numbers have been released on the total number of non-fatal alcohol-related collisions, there was a considerable decrease in fatal ones. The NHTSA released statistics on the ages of drivers who had a 0.08 BAC at the time of their fatal collision, as well as what type of vehicle was being driven, but the statistics indicated minimal change.

Motorcycles

Motorcyclist Fatalities-6.4%
Motorcyclist Fatalities Unhelmeted-9.1%
Motorcyclists Injured-6.9%

One of the areas whichshowed greatest improvement is collisions involving bikers. There has been no information provided as to whether riders are actually wearing their helmets more, but the drastic decrease in fatalities for unhelmeted riders suggests this might be true.

Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Pedestrian Fatalities-1.7%
Pedestrians Injured-13.2%
Pedalcyclists Injured-2.0%
Pedalcyclist Fatalities +1.2%

Injury-causing collisions involving pedestrians has the greatest decrease of any category listed here. It's also worth noting that of the pedestrians who were fatally injured, approximately 37% of them had a BAC of 0.01 or higher. The only unfortunate increase noted within the NHTSA's statistics is the number of fatalities among bicyclists. Again, these numbers include data from across the country. There's no word yet on how Charleston car accidents stack up yet. The NHTSA and local law enforcement agencies have been running numerous campaigns over the years to curb things like drunk driving and distracted driving, while increasing awareness about the need for safety measures like seatbelts and helmets. At this point, every indication is that their programs are paying off and saving lives.

Charleston Car Accident Attorney

Although the decreases listed here is good news, it's bittersweet. There were still 32,719 fatalities and 2,313,000 injuries caused by collisions on American roadways and the story doesn't end there. These individuals often face mounting medical bills, time off work, have damaged property, and families who must pay funeral expenses. This does not include non-economic issues, such as pain and suffering. No, cash cannot take away the loss after an accident, nor will it ever make everything right again. It can, however, help you pick up the pieces and begin the path to healing. If you have been injured in a collision or have lost a loved one, through no fault of your own, a court may award you necessary and fair reparations. Our attorneys are skilled at litigation and understand the hardship you're enduring, which is why we provide free consultations and do not charge anything until we win your case. To find out how we can help, complete our online form or speak directly with one of our lawyers by calling 1(800)610-2546.