National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows that there are as many as 2.3 million car crashes here in the United States each year. Of those, at least 30,000 prove to be fatal.
That same data shows that at least 45 percent of motorists who die each year in motor vehicle accidents aren’t properly restrained. Another 33 percent are caused by speeding. A motorist’s risk of dying in a car crash due to alcohol impairment is four times higher for nighttime drivers than it is for daytime ones.
Data compiled by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) shows that 12,500 Americans suffer spinal cord injuries (SCIs) each year in the United States. At least one-third of them result from car crashes.
While the percentage of those who suffer SCIs as a result of their involvement in a motor vehicle accident seems small, it doesn’t to the many people who experience decreased sensation in their limbs.
SCIs caused by car crashes account for 36.5 percent of diagnoses. NSCISC statistics show that more people suffer this type of injury from being involved in motor vehicle accidents than they do from sports, violence or botched medical procedures.
Some of the most serious car crashes involving injuries occur within a 25 mile radius of a motorist’s home. The 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. timeframe is when NHTSA data shows that most car crashes are apt to occur. Those who send or receive texts while driving have an estimated risk 23 times greater than those who refrain from these perilous risks.
If you or a loved one has suffered catastrophic injuries such as a spinal cord injury in a car crash, a Chicago serious injuries and wrongful death attorney can advise you of your right to file a lawsuit.
Source: SpinalCord.com, “Infographic: 10 startling car accident statistics,” accessed June 15, 2018