U.S. Leads World in Car Crash Deaths—Boise Car Accident Lawyer Considers Statistics
BOISE and NAMPA, Idaho. The Centers for Disease Control recently compared car accident crash deaths in the U.S. with crash death rates in 19 other countries. The CDC found that the U.S. has more crash deaths for every 100,000 people, putting the U.S. in the lead among world crash deaths. While the U.S. crash death rate lowered between 2000 and 2013, other comparison countries saw significant reductions in crash death rates. For instance, while the crash death rate in the U.S. went down by 31%, the average reduction in crash death rates in comparison countries was 56%. In fact, the study found that if the U.S. could reduce its car accident death rates to that of the comparison countries, 18,000 lives could have been saved. According to CNN, in 2013, approximately 23,000 people died in car crashes. These numbers don’t begin to account for those who were injured.
Car accidents occur for a variety of reasons, but alcohol use and failure to use seat belts may also be contributing to deaths. The U.S. was surpassed only by Canada when alcohol use was considered as a factor leading to crashes. The U.S. is also the third lowest among comparison countries for seat belt use. The reality is that car crashes, according to the CDC, are a major public health issue.
In Boise and Nampa, Idaho, individuals who have been in a car accident may face weeks to years of recovery, may have to miss time from work, or may face high medical expenses. The law offers important legal protections to car accident victims. If you or a loved one was killed or injured in a crash, the car accident attorneys at the Law Office of Johnson & Lundgreen may be able to help.
How could the U.S. improve its accident rate compared to other countries? According to the CDC, drivers could ensure that everyone in their car is wearing a seat belt. Drivers should also never drive drunk, and always obey the speed limit. Distracted driving prevention should also be addressed in order to reduce accidents.
Driver’s decisions matter, but the government also has a role to play. Having more drunk driving checkpoints in place could help ensure that drunk drivers are taken off the road. Use of ignition interlocks could also ensure that offenders don’t get drunk and get behind the wheel again. Statistically, individuals caught drinking and driving tend to be repeat offenders.
Many states and cities are moving toward “vision zero” initiatives to eliminate all deaths on the road. The U.S. still has a long way to go. In many ways, personal injury law affords victims and their families another avenue to seek justice and raise awareness about the risk of dangerous and deadly driving. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you may only have a limited amount of time to seek justice for your losses. Visit https://johnsonandlundgreen.com/ to learn more about your rights today.
