Sometimes, just knowing some driving statistics and facts can help you be a safer, more conscious driver. There’s nothing more eye-opening than seeing the numbers in front of you in black and white to make you realize exactly how important driving safely is.
There are so many factors that come into play in regards to car crashes that the full scope of why so many people are involved in accidents can be complicated and somewhat confusing. However, knowing the risks you are facing every time you get behind the wheel can help you become a better driver.
Driving Statistics and Interesting Information
Information about the number of accidents that occurred in 2014 are just starting to become available via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Early projections estimate that over 32,000 people died in car crashes throughout 2014, representing just a very slight decrease from the number of fatalities that occurred in 2013 (32,675 vs. 32,719). According to some studies, every time you get behind the wheel, there’s a 1 in 10 million chance that you’ll be involved in a fatal car accident. Compare this to flying on an airplane: the chances of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 720 million!
In the state of Ohio, in 2013 there were 917 fatal crashes that resulted in 989 deaths. Compare this to a larger, more populated state like California, where there were 2,772 fatal crashes that resulted in 3,000 deaths. In general, the types of deaths that occurred across the United States varied depending on the state; for example, North Dakota had the lowest amount of deaths involving cars, but the highest amount of deaths involving SUVs and small trucks, while a state like New Jersey saw far more deaths involving cars.
Why do so many people die from auto accidents? Well, today, distracted driving has become a huge issue. Distracted driving defined is “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” These distractions endanger not only the driver, but also any passengers and other motorists on the road, as well as pedestrians and bystanders.
Some of the most common driving distractions include:
- Texting
- Eating and drinking
- Grooming
- Adjusting the radio or MP3 player
- Reading- including reading maps
- Using the navigation system
- Talking to passengers
Distraction.gov reports that 10% of drivers under 20 years old who were involved in a fatal crash were driving distractedly at the time of the accident. A quarter of teens who drive are likely to respond to text messages while they’re behind the wheel, and 10% of them admit to actually have full-fledged text conversations while driving! Texting while driving makes you eight times more likely to be involved in a car crash- even more so than drunk driving. It’s so important to put your phone away while you’re driving. Keep it out of reach and out of sight, so you’re not even tempted to pick it up until you safely arrive at your destination.
Don’t become just another statistic! DriveTeam offers both corporate driver training and teen driving classes to help drivers become knowledgeable and safe out on the road. Contact us for more information.