The term “car accident” is a somewhat general and vague way to describe collisions. Numerous different kinds of accidents happen on New Mexico roads, and the crashes might result in minor body damage or someone suffering horrible injuries. A review of national vehicle accident statistics might prove eye-opening to someone wondering what accidents occur the most.
Facts and data about car crashes
Rear-end collisions happen often, and they may cause someone to suffer whiplash. Sometimes, victims suffer far worse injuries when a car traveling at high speed hits a prone vehicle. Rear-end collisions are not the most common collisions, however.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration points out that front-end collisions happen the most. In 2019, 2.8 million accidents involved frontal impact while only 1.57 million were rear impact incidents. Frontal collisions may frighten drivers and passengers significantly since head-on collisions come with substantial potential for fatalities.
Not surprisingly, left turns result in many collisions. That’s not to suggest accidents don’t occur when someone turns right but left turns may become more dangerous due to the proximity to oncoming traffic.
Further alarming statistics about vehicle crashes
The horrific image of a car crashing into a tree or a telephone pole is not something only occurring in the movies. More than a half-million motor vehicle accidents in 2019 involved vehicles hitting a stationary object. Destroying a mailbox in front of someone’s house may result in a minor claim, but hitting a utility pole could cost someone their life.
The routine action of changing lanes becomes second nature for most drivers. One day, doing so may result in a driver’s death. More than 3,100 people died in lane change disasters in 2019.
When negligence leads to a catastrophic accident, expect a lawsuit to follow. Victims may rely on a settlement to cover losses and expenses. Injuries might take time to heal, and that comes with various expenses. Hopefully, an insurance claim or civil suit will provide an acceptable resolution.
