With thousands of drivers on New Hampshire roads every day, car accidents are bound to happen. And even though auto safety technology is improving every year with sensors to tell you if another car is in your blind spot and automatic emergency braking systems, the number of car accidents that happen continues to rise steadily. According to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and reported by Safer America, traffic accidents cost almost $900 billion every year.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reported nearly 264 million registered vehicles on American roads in 2015. That same year, there were 6.3 million accidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage. Eighty percent of accidents involve males, who drive about 30% more miles every year. Even so, there are more female drivers on the road than men. More accidents happen on the weekend, even though there’s generally less traffic than during the workweek.
Drunk/drugged driving and speeding are the two leading causes of traffic accidents, but distracted driving and weather conditions also contribute to car accidents.
Drunk/Drugged Driving
Drunk driving continues to be a problem in the U.S., despite law enforcement education and the efforts of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to make the general public aware of the dangers of driving while impaired. With more and more states passing medical and recreational marijuana laws, more people are under the influence of cannabis when they’re behind the wheel. In the U.S., NHTSA estimates 30 people die every day in DUI accidents.
Speeding
According to the NHTSA, almost 10,000 people were killed in 2017 due to speeding. Traffic congestion and running late are the two most-used excuses for speeding. But when a driver speeds, they have a
- greater chance of losing control of their vehicle;
- a decreased distance to stop if there’s an emergency;
- an increase in crash severity; and
- an increase in gas consumption.
As the NHTSA says, faster is not always safer.
Distracted Driving
Driving requires 100% of your attention to be safest. If you are driving while distracted by trying to eat/drink, put on makeup, change the station on your stereo, or text/make a call on your cell phone, your chances of getting into an accident significantly increase.
Every day, an average of nine people die in an auto accident caused by distracted driving. In New Hampshire, drivers must use a hands-free device while driving, and there is a ban on texting while driving.
Weather Conditions
Twenty-two percent of auto accidents are due to inclement weather. Whether it’s rain, sleet, snow, or ice, driving during bad weather increases the chance of getting into an accident. This is why drivers should slow down and pay extra attention to their driving when the weather is poor. According to the FHWA, sleet and snow alone cause over 200,000 accidents every year.
New Hampshire state and municipal governments have a responsibility to maintain the roads during bad weather, but sometimes it isn’t always the case that a road gets plowed or sanded in time before drivers are on the road.
Tenn And Tenn, P.A., Auto Accident Attorneys
If you were involved in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you have rights and deserve compensation for any injuries or property damage you received. You need the experienced accident attorneys of Tenn And Tenn, P.A., on your side. Call them today on their toll-free Help Line at (888) 332-5855 or contact them online.