According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.3 million people die in traffic accidents yearly. Another 20 and 50 million suffer injuries that can be minor, resulting in a few bumps and bruises, while others result in life-altering injuries that result in permanent disabilities. Needless to say, they are some of the most pressing causes for fatalities.
Besides deaths and injuries, car accidents result in $1.8 trillion in financial losses, including healthcare costs, lost wages, and property damage. Countries spend approximately 3 percent of their GDP on caring for injuries from accidents. Either way, it seems that the threat of a car crash cannot be fully eliminated, meaning that it is a good idea to consult with a Smith Hulsey Law car accident lawyer.
Who Is At Risk?
According to the WHO, socioeconomic status is a big factor in accident rates. Europe and the US are among the countries with the most car accidents per capita. This makes sense. More people have the money to buy a car. Given the data, you would think they would record the highest number of car accident-related deaths. Surprisingly, the opposite is true.
Data from the WHO show that 90 percent of all traffic deaths occur in poor or middle-income countries. Even in developed countries, people from low social and economic neighborhoods are likely to die in a road accident. Part of the reason for the disparity in risk based on socioeconomic background is the lack of speedy and quality interventions that can be the difference between life and death.
Age is also a critical factor, with traffic accidents being the number one killer for persons aged between 5 and 29 years. Gender is also a risk factor. According to the WHO report, males make up 73 percent of the fatalities, with males aged 25 and 16 being three times more likely to die in an accident than their female counterparts.
Leading Cause of Accidents
Speeding
A definite correlation exists between the speed increase and the likelihood of an accident leading to death or severe injuries. According to auto accident experts, every one percent increase in speed increases the risk of fatal injury by four percent and severe injuries by three percent.
The risk is even higher when the collision involves a pedestrian with increased speeds from 50km/h to 65 km/h, increasing the risk of pedestrian death by 4.5 times. Countries have different speed limits for different environments, and the best way to avoid accidents is to stick to the posted speed limits.
Driving Under the Influence, Distractions, and Other Causes
Driving under the influence of alcohol is also a leading cause of road accidents. Different countries have different limits for blood alcohol concentration (BAC). In the US, that limit is 0.08 percent BAC for drivers over 21 and 0.01 percent for younger drivers. However, the effect of alcohol on a driver begins way before you hit the allowable limit. So, you are safest if you do not have alcohol in your system while driving.
Distractions are responsible for approximately 2.8 percent of car accidents globally. Distractions are anything that distracts the hands, eyes, or mind from controlling a vehicle while on the road. Examples include using a cell phone, eating, drinking, changing channels on the car stereo, and getting lost in thoughts and conversation. Given the rise of cell phone use today, distracted driving is the leading cause of accidents in America.
Other causes of accidents include unsafe roads and vehicles, lack of or poor traffic rules enforcement, and incremental weather.
Conclusion
Different countries are responsible for ensuring road safety for their citizens by addressing the relevant challenges. However, the WHO chips in by supporting member states in policy planning, implementation, and evaluation in collaboration with other partners, hoping to see car accidents fall by half by 2030 per the 2020 UN General Assembly resolution, the Decade of Action.
