Car accidents and other such motor vehicle accidents are currently far too common in the United States. With an astronomical six million motor vehicle crashes occurring every single year on United States soil, it is no wonder that there are now more than thirty thousand deaths on average per year from motor vehicle accidents alone. Though in the year of 2015 there were just over thirty two thousand such deaths, the national average reported by the Association for Safe International Road travel shows that a typical year will see as many as thirty seven thousand deaths from car and motor vehicle crashes and accidents alone.
There are many preventable causes of these motor vehicle accidents, ranging from distracted driving to driving while under the influence. Drunk driving is particularly egregious, and leads to many fatalities in all parts of the United States. In fact, drunk drivers and those driving under the influence of narcotics were arrested more than one million times in the United States in the year of 2015 alone. It has even been found that more than three hundred thousand people who are under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs will take to the road in the span of just one day. Unfortunately, of these people who are driving under the influence, only around four thousand or even less will actually be arrested. Data also shows that the typical drunk driver will get behind the wheel while intoxicated as many as eighty times in total before they are finally arrested and charged with a DUI. Driving while under the influence of other substances than alcohol is likewise very dangerous, and these lead to more than fifteen percent (sixteen percent, to be exact) of all motor vehicle accidents within the boundaries of the United States alone, let alone in other countries around the world (as drunk driving and driving under the influence are certainly not problems that are confined to the United States).
Aside from drunk driving and cases of driving under the influence, distracted driving is also very dangerous and leads to many a car accident over the course of just one year. Distracted driving is typically done while looking at an electronic device – most often a cell phone – and therefore not paying attention to the road. While looking down at a cell phone for just five seconds, the average driver going at about fifty five miles per hour has the potential to cover the span of an entire football field. In just this short breadth of time, many easily preventable motor vehicle accidents have occurred and unfortunately resulted in tragedy. Fortunately, however, data is showing the gradual decline in the rates of distracted driving, which dropped by half a percentage between the years of 2015 and 2016.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a preventable motor vehicle accident, it is recommended that you consult with a personal injury attorney or car accident attorney, as you may find that you are entitled to compensation that will help to financially make up for things like medical expenses and other such damages sustained in the car accident. A personal injury lawyer will help to establish liability and, if the personal injury law firm can say without a doubt that the other party was to blame for the motor vehicle accident, it is likely that you will have a more than viable case on your hands. Personal injury attorneys can help to make the case as smooth sailing as possible, and can look out for your best interests and protect you from the legal defense of the other side. Fortunately, however, the vast majority of all such personal injury cases are able to be fully settled without ever needing to enter a court room or be seen before a judge or a jury. In fact, only around four percent of all personal injury cases actually end up going to trial.
Preventable motor vehicle accidents can be tragic, but hiring a personal injury attorney can help you to get the compensation that you deserve.