Lowering the risk of fatalities in motor vehicle accidents
As Louisiana motorists may know, safe driving may encompass the driver, the condition of the motor vehicle and its safety features, the driving distance and road conditions as well as others who are on the road at the time. Taking these into consideration helps a driver decipher his or her safety profile as well as the cost incurred if safety is ignored.
An individual who lives farther from work faces an increased risk of being a fatality in a traffic accident. Even a closer distance of one mile may mean driving 500 miles less during the year since most individuals work 250 days in a year. The 500-mile difference reduces a driver’s risk to one out of 36,500 from one out of 30,400, based on 2013 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics. If 100 million heads of households in the country cut their commuting distance by two miles daily, car accident fatalities could drop by 1.7 percent.
Improvements in safety technology may also impact safety of motor vehicle occupants when involved in an accident. It is estimated that seat belts and other technologies designed to protect the occupants have saved an average of 11,575 lives each year between 1960 and 2012. In 2012, 27,600 lives were estimated to have been saved by safety features in motor vehicles.
Despite significant safety advances, car accidents will continue to happen. A person who has been injured in an accident caused by an impaired, distracted or otherwise negligent driver may want to have the assistance of an attorney in preparing and filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault motorist. Damages that are often sought in such an action include medical expenses and, if applicable, lost wages due to an inability to return to work during the recovery period.
Tags: Car Accidents
