Recent statistics indicate that Alabama has one of the highest numbers of car crash deaths per year when compared to the other states. One of the most common causes of car accidents is distracted driving, which includes texting while driving, an activity that has been shown to increase the chances of being in a car accident by 2,300 percent.
The costs of car wrecks are high: From an emotional perspective, collisions can cost people their friends and family. Teens are especially at risk for collisions, with car accidents being the leading cause of death among teenagers. 16-year-old drivers have been shown to have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age. Two of three teens who are involved in a car accident are male.
Beyond losing loved ones, car wrecks have a lot of other costs associated with them. Their annual cost to society totals $300 billion, which works out to $1,522 per person in the United States. In 2010, the cost associated with one death as a result of a car accident was $1.4 million. Economic costs associated with vehicle collisions include medical costs, lost earnings, property damage and the reduced quality of life.
The car insurance industry is also largely affected by car accidents. In 2011, car insurance companies paid a total of $64 billion in liability claims to their policyholders. While liability coverage pays for medical bills for injuries resulting from a car accident, this figure does not include the property damage sustained by the vehicles involved.
By taking some simple precautions, avoiding distracted driving and following traffic regulations, people can help to decrease the number of car wrecks in Alabama. An experienced attorney may help those who have been involved in a collision to recover some of their expenses following the event by filing a personal injury claim.
Source: Business 2 Community, “The Human and Economic Toll of Car Crashes [Infographic],” Brian Wallace, March 4, 2013