Car crashes happen all over the world – this is certain. On a yearly basis, nearly 1.5 million people lost their lives to car-related accidents – a staggering number to consider. While the death toll is high, the amount of car accidents overall (including non-fatal incidents) is even higher.
You may wonder how it happens that so many people could get into car crashes on such a regular basis. And that’s why this article has been created. It will outline where it is that most car accidents occur, why so many accidents happen worldwide, and what happens when they do. Don’t worry – we’ll also be talking about how to avoid them.
Fatal or non-fatal, simple or complex, accidents happen on the road with severe regularity and serious consequences. They may involve the authorities, a car accident lawyer, or the risk of imprisonment if the charges are severe. Read on to learn more about what that looks like, and how you can help make the road a safer place.
Where Do Most Car Accidents Occur?
The unfortunate truth of it all is that most car accidents – roughly 90% – happen in middle- or low-income countries. Among some common places for consistent car accidents are within the lower European regions, and in the African regions.
It may surprise some that more fatal crashes happen on rural, 2-lane roads – contrary to what most may expect. Many motor vehicle accidents that occur in urban areas happen at intersections, or on roads that have lower speed limits.
More pedestrian and bicyclist crashes happen in urban areas, but many fatal crashes of passenger cars and trucks happen on highways that are rated higher speeds, which are in rural areas. Many nonfatal motor vehicle crashes happen at intersections, resulting from wrong turns, violations of traffic laws, excessive speeds, and distracted driving.
Why Do These Accidents Occur?
It may come as no surprise that many of these car accidents occur in countries that have little to no infrastructure. In addition to having fewer stop lights and traffic signs, they also have fewer traffic laws being enforced regularly.
In addition to being seriously high in car accident frequency, the death toll takes some of the most vulnerable people on the road, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
More pedestrian and bicyclist crashes happen in urban areas, but many fatal crashes of passenger cars and trucks happen on highways that are rated higher speeds, which are in rural areas. Many nonfatal motor vehicle crashes happen at intersections, resulting from wrong turns, violations of traffic laws, excessive speeds, and distracted driving.
In developed countries, impairment in the driver’s ability is a major component in developing countries traffic accidents. Running late for work, keeping up with traffic, or just driving unintentionally above the speed limit are among the leading causes of car-related accidents
How Can These Car Accidents Be Avoided?
Without trying to over-simplify such a serious and deadly problem, the answer to reducing car accidents is simple and easy – slow down, pay attention, and maintain calm.
Many fatal car accidents happen when a driver is going along at a dangerously fast rate and rear-ends another motorist. Another factor that leads to car accidents is road rage. By either pursuing another driver in anger, certain drivers are responsible for causing numerous unnecessary auto accidents every year.
Another great way to help avoid car accidents is staying off your phone. These days it’s quite common to find people tangled in a car crash just because they looked away for a moment to answer a call or respond to a text message. Always remember that these distractions can wait until your vehicle has come to a full stop. You can also equip your car with hands-free solutions, like Bluetooth audio or a cell phone mount on your dashboard.
Whether you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, or you witnessed one recently, know that these car crashes are happening all around the world every day. Some involve the authorities or car accident lawyers, and some involve serious injury or death.
By knowing the basics on how, where, and why these accidents happen, you can help do your part by maintaining a clear and focused mind when you are behind the wheel, reducing your speed, and staying off your phone – to name a few.