The Kipness Law Firm, P.C

Reading these statistics can make one aware of just how dangerous auto accidents are and how many accidents can inflict people with personal injuries and loss of loved ones due to wrongful death.

They also help indentify the main cause of car accidents in Dallas, Texas and throughout the U.S.   Even people not driving a car can be affected by dangerous driving.

According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the year 2007:

1. 41,059 people died in auto accident crashes in the U.S.;
2. 112 people died each day in car accident crashes, which is one person every 13 minutes;
3. 2,491,000 sustained personal injuries from auto accidents;
4. Car accidents were the leading cause of death for ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 34;
5. 74% of auto accident deaths involved occupants, 13% of car accident deaths involved motorcycle accidents, and the remaining 13% of car accident deaths involved bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents;
6. Auto accidents had a economic cost of $230.6 billion dollars of which $40.4 billion was attributed to speeding related auto accidents, which lead to the loss of 13,040 lives;
7. 11,889 lives were saved in auto accidents because safety belts were used;
8. Men were involved in three times more wrongful death accidents than women
9. Older drivers (over age of 65) caused: 14% of traffic deaths; 14% of deaths in cars; and 19% of pedestrian accident deaths [This accidents are caused by diminished reflexes and limited sensory abilities]

According to the NHTA in Texas during 2007:

1. 3363 people were killed in car accidents in Texas;
2. 3 people died every six hours in auto accidents in Texas;
3. 1343 people were killed in auto accident in Texas due to speeding
4. Five leading cause of car accident deaths in Texas were: (a) speeding under or over the speed limit; (b) drivers failed to yield right of way; (c) driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; (d) disregarding stop and go signals/signs; and (e) following too closely.

I recently took a defensive driving course for a speeding ticket.   I thought I would know most of this information because I have been driving for over twenty years.  I was surpised to learn how much I had forgotten and how some of my driving habits could cause a car accident.

The course taught me that are two primary reasons for bad driving that can lead to car accidents and personal injuries.

The first category is bad driving behavior.  This can include: (1) drinking and driving; (2) talking on a cell phone; (3) ignoring driving rules and laws; (4) ignorning traffic signs; and (5) driving while tired.  The second category for bad driving that can lead to car accients is bad reactions in dangerous driving environments.  This can include: (1) driving in the rain or snow; (2) driving on ice or in the dark; (3) driving in heavy traffic conditions; and (4) driving in the city, which is different than driving in the countryside.

The top causes of auto accidents in Dallas, Texas are:

1. unsafe speed (over the limit or under the limit)
2. failure to yield to the right of way
3. driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DWI or DUI)
4. disregarding stop and go signals and signs
5. following too closely

The top reasons for car accident related deaths in Dallas, Texas are:

1. driving under the influence of alcohol and/drugs
2. driving too fast