Car crashes happen more often than most California residents expect, and they frequently result in serious and fatal injuries. After being in a car accident or helping a loved one who has been injured in a collision, you may be wondering what the number of car accidents is per year, and what factors frequently cause motor vehicle wrecks. In any type of car accident claim, and experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer can provide answers to questions and can assist you if you need to file a claim for compensation.
In the meantime, we want to provide you with more statistics about traffic crashes and a variety of frequently asked questions related to the number of car accidents per year that cause property damage and injuries in the Los Angeles area.
How Often Do Car Accidents Happen?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car accidents result in about 2.3 million people seeking treatment in emergency departments each year for car accident-related injuries. That figure does not include the total number of collisions that happen annually that result in only minor injuries or property damage.
No matter how major or minor your accident, a Los Angeles car accident lawyer can discuss your options for seeking compensation.
How Frequently Do Car Accidents Result in Fatalities?
In addition to causing more than 2.3 million serious injuries on a yearly basis, car accidents also result in tens of thousands of deaths. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) 2017 Annual Report notes that traffic fatalities have been on the rise in recent years. Between 2014 and 2015, the total rate of fatal collisions across the country rose by 5.6 percent to a total of 35,485 fatalities. In California, the rate of fatal collisions rose by an even greater figure. Between 2015 and 2016, fatal crashes increased by 7 percent from a total of 3,387 fatal collisions in 2015 to a total of 3,623 fatal collisions in 2016.
Even though there are thousands of fatal accidents in California each year, California actually has a lower Mileage Death Rate than the national average.
Are the Number of Car Accidents Each Year Impacted by Alcohol and Intoxicated Driving?
Intoxicated driving plays a major role in the number of serious and fatal car crashes each year. The California OTS report indicates that the total fatality rate for alcohol-impaired collisions in California rose by 2.4 percent between 2015 and 2016. In 2015, 26.9 percent of fatal crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver, while that figure rose to 29.3 percent in 2016.
Alcohol-impaired driving is defined by the California OTS as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. In addition to alcohol-impaired driving, drug-impaired driving also plays a major role in the total number of car accidents in California per year. About 15 percent of all drivers who were killed in collisions in California in 2016 tested positive for a legal or illegal substance.
What is the Total Number of Teen Car Accidents Per Year?
Given that teenage drivers are less experienced than older drivers, they tend to be involved in accidents more frequently. The California OTS reports that teen car accident fatalities rose by 2.7 percent between 2015 and 2016, with a total of 225 teen motor vehicle fatalities in 2016. The rate of teen driver fatalities—compared with all teen car crash fatalities, including vehicle occupants or pedestrians or bicyclists—are particularly problematic. Between 2015 and 2016, teen driver deaths rose by more than 12 percent, resulting in a total of 110 teen driver fatalities in California in 2016. More than 80 percent of those drivers were male.
What Are Some of the Most Common Reasons for the High Number of Motor Vehicle Crashes?
There are many different factors that contribute to the total number of car accidents per year, including but not limited to:
- Driver negligence or error, including intoxicated driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, and reckless driving;
- Automobile defects;
- Dangerous roadways or premises; and
- Inclement weather.
A car accident attorney in Los Angeles can speak with you about some of the common causes of crashes and how you can seek compensation for your losses.
Seek Advice from a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles
Were you injured in a car accident? Do you need help negotiating with an insurance company for a reasonable settlement or filing a car accident lawsuit? Whether you need assistance with negotiations or need to take your claim to court, an aggressive yet compassionate LA car accident attorney can begin working with you on your case today. Contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers for more information about the services we provide to clients in the Los Angeles area.