How Often Will I Be in a Car Accident?

If you are an average driver, then the chances are that you will be filing an auto accident claim about one time every 17.9 years, according to research from the car insurance industry. This means that, if you started driving around the age of 16:

• By the age of 34, you will have likely been in at least one car accident.
• If you continue to drive over the course of your lifetime, chances are that you will be involved in up to four traffic collisions.

What Are the Chances I’ll Be in a Serious Car Accident?

Although we can’t predict whether the crashes that you may be involved in over your life will be severe, we can tell you that, according to the national statistics regarding fatal traffic accidents (from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA):

• The two most common types of car accidents are parking lot crashes and rear-end collisions, both of which tend to not be fatal (unless, of course, pedestrians were involved/hit).
• Every year in the U.S., more than 40,000 people die in fatal motor vehicle crashes; on average, this means that about 100 people die every day in a deadly car accident. Given that millions of car accidents occur in the U.S. annually (between 6 and 9 million), fatal collisions represent only a small percentage of the overall number of car accidents taking place in the U.S. each year.
• Driver negligence/human error is a contributing factor in more than 90 percent of all traffic collisions that occur in the U.S.

In light of the above facts, it’s reasonable to presume that, while your chances of being in a deadly auto accident may be relatively slim, there is a greater possibility that you will be involved in a minor to moderately serious wreck, both of which can still have great impacts on your health and finances.

What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk of Being in a Car Accident?

Although you cannot control the actions of other motorists on the road, what you do behind the wheel can be one of the single biggest factors in preventing you from being in a serious car accident. Namely, if you want to reduce your risk of being in a collision:

• Never driver drunk or impaired.
• Try to always remained focused (i.e., not distracted) when behind the wheel.
• Always obey traffic laws.
• Drive defensively (i.e., assume that other drivers may not be sober, focused and/or diligent behind the wheel).

What do you think about these statistics and facts regarding car accidents? Share your comments with us on social media – we want to hear from you!

Littleton Car Accident Lawyers at Bahr & Kreidle

Have you or someone you love been injured in a car accident – or any type of traffic collision? If so, the Littleton car accident lawyers at Bahr & Kreidle are here for you, ready to fight for your rights. Since 1983, our attorneys at Bahr & Kreidle have been fighting on behalf of injured people and aggressively standing up against injustice, inequality and intolerance.

We urge you to get more information about your potential case and rights by meeting with us for a free, no obligations initial consultation. To set up a meeting, call us at (303) 794-7422 or email us using the form on this page.

From our law offices in Littleton, we represent clients throughout Colorado, including in the Denver Metro Area, Arapahoe County, Adams County, Jefferson County and the cities of Lakewood, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Castle Rock, Westminster, Centennial and Aurora.