Up-To-Date Motor Vehicle Accident Figures
Post contributed by Dan Baldyga.
Three years ago it was reported there were “an estimated” six million, three hundred and fifteen thousand motor vehicle accident’s in the United States. That comes to about 173,000 per day!
Two years ago an average of 120 people died every day in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. BELOW ARE 8 VERY INTERESTING 2003 ACCIDENT “RESULTS”
#1. Motor vehicle accidents were the top third causes of Safety & Health Incidents in the United States.
#2. 86% of the (above) “Reported Accidents” involved only one driver. (I state “reported” because – – many were not)!
#3. 1/3 of them took place when drivers lost control of the vehicle and left the road. Another 1/3 were cause by the vehicle being struck from behind.
#4. HERE’S A NEW ONE! IT’S A “BIGGIE”! AND (AS OF TODAY – – RIGHT NOW IN 2005) IT’S JUST BEGINNING:
Hand held (or even hands-free) cell phones have begun to bring significant “PROBLEMS” to all driver’s performances. (It’s not yet known exactly how many of these “Problems” caused an accident however – – there is no doubt that operating a cell phone is far too dangerous while driving).
People who use headsets to talk on cell phones, hands-free behind the wheel take significantly, longer to detect and react while driving. Some have argued that a hands-free cell-phone conversation is equivalent to talking to a car passenger, and if you ban one type of conversation, you should have to ban the other.
THAT’S ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE! “Why”? You may ask. The answer is, “Because passengers can react to what is going on around a driver where there is danger, and such conversations are absolutely no equivalent to a hands-free phone conversation“.
“Why”? You ask again. The answer to that one is, “It’s difficult talking to a person who can observe exactly what you’re seeing”.
#5. In 2003, motor vehicle accidents medical costs exceeded 2 Billion dollars! That’s about 20% of medical costs attributed to all injuries.
#6. As of April 7th, 2004, it was determined that throughout the world more than one million people die each year because of transportation-related accident. (In America today over 5 people die every day, because of a motor vehicle crash)!
#7. Between 1992 and 2001, 13,337 people died from work-related motor vehicle accidents. The highest number of fatal-work related crashes took place in the transportation communications and public utilities industry = 4.64 deaths per 100,000 employees.
#8. In a 2003 study it was discovered that more people die in motor vehicle crashes than any other cause of injury!
THE FOLLOWING ARE A HALF DOZEN VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR INSURANCE AGENT – – IF HE’S “LEGIT” HE’LL TELL YOU
“Why should I check these out via my Insurance Agent” ? You ask. The answer to that one is, “Because the Company that covers you for your Motor Vehicle Insurance Coverage will not.”
#1. “Should it be decided your motor vehicle is a Total Loss how does the company, you have me insured by, determine the value of my vehicle”?
#2. “Am I entitled to payment for sales tax and registration fees for a new car”? (As of 2005 there are many states that do so don’t let this slip out of sight because you may live in one that does).
#3. “In some states people are entitled to what is described, or identified, as diminished value. Is that true of ours”?
#4. Ask your agent, “What does it mean to ‘Stack’ your coverage? Are you doing that“? If he isn’t than ask him, “ If not how much money could I save or lose if you did that for me”?
#5. If you make a claim (for a small loss) ask him, “If I make this claim would that increase my rates”? (Perhaps, because of the impact it would have on your pocket book, today, tomorrow and down the pike, you shouldn’t)!
#6. “Other than my own Homeowners Policy will the personal property in my car be covered by my auto policy”?
If your comes back at you with a flippant answer like, “Oh yeah, don’t worry about that”, don’t buy into it. You should ask him to show you exactly where that’s stated in your auto insurance policy.
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor Automotive Trends make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
Dan Baldyga’s latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at his web site http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com. This book reveals “How To” successfully handle your motor vehicle accident claim, so you won’t be taken advantage of. It also goes into detail regarding the revolutionary BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). BASE will explain how to determine the value of the “Pain and Suffering” you endured, because of your personal injury.
During adverse conditions it will often be noticed that it is the rear of a vehicle that loses traction first.
What the average person and some experts are not aware of is that there can be as high as 950 pounds or more weight on the front axle of their vehicle than the back. So a car that feels like a limousine on the front holds like a golf cart on the back
A 3000lb car with a weight ratio of 65% front weight and 35% rear weight will weigh 1950lb on the front and 1050 on the rear. After you use 10 gallon of fuel from the rear tank one of the front wheels has as much traction as both rear combined.
If you analyze single vehicle accidents you will find most of them had better tires on the front than the back or a very large weight difference. In fact the worst balanced cars have 4 times as many fatalities as cars designed with better balance. How are you going to tell how fast is too fast under these conditions when it is possible for a balanced car to handle fine on a slippery surface at 50 mph and an unbalanced car to lose control at 20 mph and both to feel the same to the drivers.
There are some good videos on the Internet showing how important the rear tires of a vehicle are. Also the Society of Automotive Engineers paper 2002-01-0553 shows any decrease of tread depth from new of the rear tires can contribute to an accident.
Great point Harvey. This kind of thoughtful argument is why those who subscribe to the simplistic “Speed Is Dangerous” line of thinking don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. I could safely drive an Audi R8 at 70 mph on most backroads all day long because it was engineered to excel at that, while the guy in the ’89 Grand Prix on the same road is heading for the trees at half that speed. @Harvey