With 2021 officially underway, our personal injury attorneys near Baton Rouge want to take the time to address some startling statistics surrounding car accidents. You may take your safety on the road for granted, but we have seen countless injury victims suffer from unexpected life-altering injuries.

Although you may not realize the drastic data surrounding car and truck accidents, the numbers surrounding this topic are accurate.

An Overview of Car Accidents in the United States

In October of 2020, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration came out with new data about car accidents. From 2018 to 2019, there was a 2 percent decrease in car accident fatalities, however, COVID-19 has undoubtedly had an impact on 2020’s statistics for the worse.

At a glance, here is some pertinent information about car accidents:

The majority of car accidents occur only minutes from where the driver lives

Roughly 1.35 million people across the globe lose their lives annually due to car accidents, meaning ~3,700 people lose their lives daily as the result of a car accident

4.4 million people are seriously injured every year due to a car accident, requiring them to seek medical attention

The United States has the highest number of road accidents of any high-income country

The Louisiana seat belt ticket cost is $25 for the first offense and $50 for the second offense

The Impact of COVID-19

Our personal injury lawyers in Louisiana are aware that the global pandemic has impacted car accident statistics. Based on how many miles each vehicle traveled and the number of deaths, 2020 was a worse year for accident victims.

In March, data surrounding car accidents pointed to an uptick in reckless driving, likely the result of the spreading pandemic. There was also an increase in drivers with drugs or alcohol in their systems. We will keep you updated with additional 2020 statistics as they are released.

What States are Impacted the Most?

Each state is made up of such different demographics, resulting in different parts of the country accounting for a larger number of car-related accidents and deaths each year. Traffic laws, weather, topography, and travel speeds also all factor into which areas have more accidents than others.

On average, Florida has the most car accidents while Texas has the highest number of fatal accidents. In Texas, it is estimated that someone dies every 2 hours as the result of a car accident.

The Impact of Age & Gender

Age and gender undoubtedly factor into these statistics. The World Health Organization notes that in children and adults from 5-29 years old, car accidents are the leading cause of death. Teenage drivers are especially noteworthy, as teens 16-20 years old have the highest percentage of fatal crashes. This is likely due to their inexperience on the road combined with overall excitement to have this newfound freedom.

Between men and women based on data between 2009 and 2018, men were 3x as likely to be involved in a car accident than women.

Does Time of Day Matter?

We’ve also seen a correlation between accidents and the time of day that they occur. It is estimated that the peak time for a car accident is between 4pm and 7:59pm, and this is for both fatal and non-fatal accidents. This may be due to increased traffic going home from work, reduced visibility on the roads.

What to Do If You’re Injured In a Crash

Following a car crash, you not only need to seek medical attention, but you also need to deal with logistics such as insurance companies. In some personal injury cases, you’ll also need assistance from a skilled law office if you are suffering from an injury due to another driver’s negligence.

Turn to our Baton Rouge, Louisiana personal injury law firm. Stephen Babcock and his skilled team provide aggressive legal representation when you need it the most. We’ll always fight to get you maximum compensation for your personal injury case.

To get started, take advantage of our free consultations to see if we can help.