When you go out for a drive, you expect to go about your business and come home safely. You don’t ever go out assuming that you’ll be involved in a crash or end up hospitalized.
Unfortunately, that is the reality for many people every day. Around 40,000 fatal crashes happen each year in the United States, even though they could largely be avoided by slowing down, paying attention and maintaining vehicles better.
While that seems like many fatal crashes, it is an improvement over the past. As vehicles have become equipped with more safety features, fewer people tend to die in collisions. That being said, the roads are getting no better, and crashes do keep happening despite better education and state programs to curb them.
With over 220 million drivers, roadways are growing more congested every day
One of the reasons why crashes are more likely and the roads are getting more dangerous is because there are more drivers now than before. There are not many options, except for in local or state-wide circuits, where people can take public transportation quickly and easily. This means that more vehicles are going out on the roads, creating a higher risk of collisions.
Some of the most common causes of traffic accidents in America include drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving, all habits that continue despite better driving education and technology.
So, what can you do to stay safe if you’re going to be on the highways or roads near you?
The first thing to do is to put away distractions. Commit to staying under the speed limit next, and then make sure you brush up on the rules of the road. Doing those three things will reduce the risk of being hurt in a crash related to the three most common causes of death on the roads.
If you are still hit, remember that you can take steps to hold the at-fault driver responsible. Their actions have led to harm, so it is reasonable to ask them to cover your financial losses and to compensate you for the damage they have caused.
