Car Accidents Statistics

Car accidents have become common place over the past few years. Perhaps it is because of the increase in the number of cars on the road or maybe the improvement in performance of cars - people just want to see how well their cars can perform. The accidents people are witnessing today range from the mildest of paint scratches/dents to the most tragic, like buses rolling off an escarpment killing scores of passengers. Car accident statistics reveal scaring information.

Common causes of accidents

Driving under the influence has been cited by many a researcher to be the most common cause of auto accidents. Despite the numerous warnings and appeals through the media to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, cases are still on the rise. This is not only a problem in America but across the world. The situation is so bad in some countries where even drivers of public vehicles work after having 'one or two for the road'.

Another cause of accidents that has been identified a lot is weather conditions. Heavy rainfalls, snow, blinding sunshine, ice on the road, fog and dust have been shown to cause a good number of accidents all over the world. This is especially the case with rainfall, snow and fog. They lower visibility several times lower than normal driving conditions.

Accident victims and drivers

Car accident statistics reveal that most of the car accident victims are below the age of thirty five and above eighteen. This has been attributed to the high mobility of these individuals who are constantly on the move in search of jobs and meeting friends. Youth clearly is a significant attributing factor. This is not to say that there are no victims below the age of eighteen or above forty.

Teenage drivers have proven to be a bit too difficult to handle. Teenagers love speed; they get the thrill of driving at high speeds. A considerably large number of teenagers who drive are also on some drug or another. It is a really sad state of affairs. This also explains why most victims are in the age bracket of eighteen and the early thirties.

By gender, males happen to be the most affected by auto accidents. This is probably because of the risk-taking nature of men. They are the ones who will drive at high speeds and late into the night. Men are also usually more independent than women and tend to travel more. Either way, in terms of gender, men are the most common victims.

Legislation and traffic laws

The saddening revelations from research have gone to show that there is a problem in traffic regulations. From the car accident statistics published by the World Health Organization and other international bodies, many countries have adopted new measures to curb road menaces and reduce accidents. These include increasing the number of traffic police and installation of more traffic cameras especially in places that are known to be black spots. Higher fines are being charged on people who do not maintain the traffic rules and regulations. It is hoped that this will reduce the number of accidents being reported on a daily basis.