Annual Statistics on Road Crashes in the U.S.
There is no doubt that road crashes can lead to a lot of damage to many families, considering that some accidents can lead to death. Accidents will also lead to injuries that keep workers away from their jobs. As a result, there is slowed performance at work most of the time. So, what are the annual statistics on road accidents? And how can we deal with them?
According to the NHTSA, an average of 37,000 people die each year in road collisions. Also, there are 2.35 million people who get injured or disabled after these accidents. The statistics are even worse when you start breaking them down in terms of age. You will get that over 1,600 children under the age of 15 years die from such accidents. As for drivers aged between 16 and 20, the number rises to 8,000 people.
How to reduce road crashes
Once you have read the statistics above, you would want to know what more you can do to make the road a safer place. We all have to understand that road safety remains a shared responsibility. It starts by following the traffic rules adequately all the time. It does not hurt to let someone pass in some cases rather than ending up in an accident.
Road crashes will only reduce if we have participation from people in different disciplines. Such can include road engineers, automakers, the police, educators, and much more. The aim is to create awareness about road safety.
Road collisions are predictable and preventable
According to reports about road collisions, most of them are predictable and preventable at times. Several countries have managed to reduce road fatalities over the years by having more measures put in place. The first one is introducing laws such as speed limits, strict DUI laws, safety helmets, and much more.
Vehicles are now more protective than ever before. Automakers are producing some of the best options to end up a safe car. Most of them now have new safety features such as front collision warning, pedestrian collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and electronic stability control. As you can see, all these features are always meant to provide you with the best safety.
Even with these safety features, we still need the driver to be careful while on the road. A driver has to avoid driving under the influence, stay away from distracted driving, and simply following traffic rules. These traffic rules are meant to protect every road user.
The role of policymakers
Policymakers in any country have a role of ensuring that the roads are safe for everyone. The best thing a country can do is set up a lead agency to help in spearheading the implementation of road safety. The agency will also be responsible for assessing the problems, policies, and coming up with proper ways of implementing solutions.
The policymakers are also supposed to prepare national road safety strategies and action plans to help handle the different cases that might arise.
Talking to the various stakeholders in the transport sector helps to identify the challenges they are facing and how best to handle such challenges. Once these challenges have been addressed, the agency can take specific actions that will improve road traffic safety.
Ending up as part of road accident statistics is no fun for anyone. Well, if that is not something you want, then it is best to stay safe while on the road. Always observe traffic rules and drive better than other drivers. Get your auto accident lawyer on the line to ask for legal advice on how to proceed after an auto crash.