The LA Personal Injury Law Firm – (Car Accidents) Fatal Crash General Statistics

The LA Personal Injury Law Firm – (Car Accidents) Fatal Crash General Statistics

Vehicle accident deaths have been on the decline for the past few years in the United States. However, the number of fatalities varies depending on the state’s population and the number of vehicles per capita. Based on general statistics related to fatal crashes in California and the United States, you should hire a professional attorney to evaluate any car accident you or your loved one are involved in and seek compensation. Contact us at the LA Personal Injury Law Firm for quality legal representation in your compensation claim.

Fatal Crash Statistics in California

California is the nation’s most populous state. Therefore, you would expect it to have a higher number of fatal accidents compared to other states. The frequency of fatal accidents in California is at 0.92 deaths per 100 million vehicles miles traveled. This translates to 7.9 fatalities per 100,000 people.

Fatal Crash Statistics in 2018

In 2018, the number of fatalities decreased from 3,884 in 2017 to 3,563 in 2018. These fatalities were recorded from the 485, 866 car crashes recorded in 2017. A total of 276, 823 injuries were sustained from these accidents. Here are other detailed statistics related to California car accidents in 2018:

• Motor vehicle crash by road user type includes 1,248 car occupants accounting for 35% of the total number of motor vehicle deaths that year.
• Motor vehicle crash by Pickups and SUV occupants was 654, accounting for 18% of the total number of accidents that year.
• The number of fatal deaths caused by motorcyclists were 488 and accounted for 14% of the total number of deaths the same year.
• The number of bicyclists who died was 154, which accounted for 4% of the total number of deaths.
• The number of fatal deaths related to pedestrians was 898 and accounted for 25% of the total number of deaths the same year.
• The number of single-vehicle crashes were 1,956 and accounted for 55% of the total deaths. The number of multiple-vehicle crashes were 1,607 and accounted for 45% of all deaths that year.
• The number of people killed due to a BAC of 0.08% or above was 1,369. Among these drivers, 252 were killed with an unknown BAC result, while 473 had a BAC of 0.08% or above.
• A total of 1,170 fatalities were recorded due to restrained fatality injuries, while 594 were unrestrained occupants. There were 160 unknown restraint statuses for fatally injured occupants, and a total of 1,924 people were fatally injured as vehicle occupants.
• A total of 2,490 deaths were recorded in urban areas accounting for 70% of the total deaths while 1,072 deaths were recorded in rural areas accounting for 30%

Fatal Crashes Related to Motorcycles in California

With more than 800,000 registered motorcycles, California has the largest number of motorcycles in the nation. With so many motorcycles on the road, California has inevitably recorded more motorcycle deaths than other states. The following is a detailed view of the statistics related to fatal motorcycle accidents in California:

• In 2017,16,505 motorcycle accidents occurred and led to 15,527 injuries and 541 deaths 22.8%
• All fatal motorcycle accidents involved intoxicated riders and close to 25% of the victims did not have valid licenses
• About 75% of all motorcycle accidents involved a motorcycle and at least one vehicle
• Motorcycle fatalities that involved the lack of helmets increased by 9% between 2015 and 2016
• 60% of all motorcycle accidents occurred after sunset
• Los Angeles recorded the highest number of fatalities and injuries with a total of 4,493

 Fatal Crash Statistics Related to Truck Accidents in California

Traffic accident fatality is amplified when it involves commercial trucks due to their sheer size and weight. Some trucks are also involved in the transportation of hazardous material such as chemicals, gas, and oil, increasing fatal accidents. In California, the general statistics related to fatal truck accidents are as follows:

• A total of 27,982 truck accidents were recorded in 2017. This includes 359 deaths and 9,694 injuries
• The highest cause of truck accidents was prescription drugs at 26%, speeding at 23%, fatigue at 13%, alcohol at 8%, and illegal drugs 3%
• The leading mechanical cause of the truck accidents include tires at 51.1%, jump or pull start at 7.6%, airline and hose at 4.7%, alternator at 4.1%, and wiring at 3.9%
• Each freeway averages more than 1,000 truck accidents every year
• Los Angeles County has the highest number of deaths with 2,691, followed by San Bernardino with 908, Riverside with 702, Orange with 547, and Alameda with 479

Fatal Crash Statistics in Los Angeles

Preliminary data shows that 240 people died in traffic accidents in 2018. This number was five fewer deaths than the number recorded in 2017 and 57, more than the number recorded in 2015. The transportation department also indicated 127 pedestrians were killed in the crash in 2018, which was slightly higher from the number of 135 deaths recorded in 2017.

When it comes to bicyclists, Los Angeles had as many deaths in 2018 than all the San Francisco accident victims. The total number of bicyclist deaths was 21, which is the highest number recorded since 2003.

Fatal Crash Statistics in the United States

The number of America’s road deaths dropped by 1,000 in 2018. While there was a decreased number of deaths in that year, there was an increased fatality rate in pedestrians, bicyclists, and large-trucks.

In 2018, 36,560 people died in traffic collisions. This was a 2.4% decrease from the number recorded in 2017. Out of these numbers, the rate of death related to specific aspects is as follows:

• 1,038 minors (minors below 14 years and below) died, which was a 10% decline from the previous year
• 9,378 speed-related deaths were recorded, which is around 6% drop from 2017
• 4,985 motorcycle-related fatalities were recorded which is a 5% decrease from 2017
• The number of pedestrian deaths was 6,283, which is more than a 3% increase. This is the highest number recorded since 1990
• 859 bicycle-related deaths were recorded which is more than 6% increase from previous years
• The number of large-truck occupants death was 885 which is a 1% increase from previous years

The decreased traffic record came even as more people drove that year. The rate of vehicle-per-miles traveled increased by 0.3% than in 2017, while the fatality rate per 100 million decreased by 3%.

Besides the information provided above, here are other detailed statistics related to national fatal accidents:

• Around 2 million drivers in car accidents are at risk of experiencing permanent injuries every year.
• There is a higher chance of a crash during the first that drivers are licensed.
• Out of the nearly six million vehicular crashes that occur every year, around 22% are related to the weather.
• Rear-end collisions are the most frequent types of accidents and account for approximately 29% of all crashes.
• Driver-related factors such as fatigue, impairment, and distraction were present in approximately 90% of crashes recorded in 2018
• Specific driver performance errors such as improper braking, unfamiliarity with roadway or vehicle, or right-of-way error, increased the chances of accidents by 100%
• Pedestrian trespass and highway-rail grade crossing collisions accounted for 95% of all railroad fatalities in the nation.

National Statistics Related to Aggressive Driving

Aggressive driving stands to be one of the highest causes of car accidents in the United States. Out of the accident that results from aggressive driving, the statistics that rise from such cause are as follows:

• 66% of all traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving
• 37% of aggressive driving accident involve firearms
• 7% of drivers admitted to having blocked other vehicles from changing lanes, and 0.3% of drivers admitted to having cut off other vehicles deliberately. 0.1% of the drivers admitted to having bumped or rammed other vehicles intentionally

National Statistics Related to Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrians have been at risk of fatal traffic accidents over the years. This is common in urban areas, meaning that urbanized states have the highest number of pedestrian accidents. The number of fatal pedestrian accidents is as follows:

• There was a 27% increase in fatalities between 2007 and 2016, while the overall traffic deaths decreased by 14%. The proportion of pedestrian deaths compared to total motor vehicle crash deaths increased from 11% in 2007 to 16% in 2016
• About half of the deaths related to red-light running every year are pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles
• Distraction is the main cause of pedestrian fatalities and is mainly caused by electronic devices
• A pedestrian struck at 20miles per hour has a 10% chance of dying compared to a pedestrian struck at 40miles per hour who has 80% chance of dying
• 26% of pedestrian deaths occurred between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. while 24% of the deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight

National Fatal Accident Statistics Related to Winter

Adverse weather such as winter is a significant cause of fatal accidents in the United States. It is not easy to control a vehicle during winter, increasing the possibility of an accident. The national statistics of fatal accident related to winter is as follow:

• 17% of all vehicle crashes occurred during winter in 2018
• There are about 156, 000 crashes recorded annually due to icy roads
• Weather-related vehicle accidents kill more people than large-scale disasters
• Every year 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on icy, slushy, or snowy pavements, while 15% happen during snowfall

National Motorcycle Fatal Accident Statistics

Motorcycles have been a significant cause of fatal injuries and deaths related to traffic accidents. Motorcycle-related fatalities are high since motorcyclists are not adequately protected while riding. Severe head injuries are frequent, especially if the rider was not wearing a helmet during the accident. All-train vehicles(ATV) have been causing more accidents recently, although they are not designed for on-highway use.  The number of national motorcycle-related accidents are as follows:

• A total of 4,985 motorcyclists were recorded which represented 14% of the total fatal deaths recorded in 2018
• The number of motorcyclists’ deaths with no valid license was 1,384 accounting for 31% of the total motorcycle deaths, while the number of licensed motorcyclists’ death was 3,240 accounting for 69% of all motorcyclists’ deaths in 2018
• The number of motorcyclist deaths by a single-vehicle crash type was 1,866, accounting for 37% of the total deaths. Multiple crash type deaths were 3,119 and accounted for 63% of the total deaths in 2018
• When it comes to the number of deaths by age, 1,372 motorcyclists aged 29 and below were 1,372, while 928 were aged between 30-39 years. 854 motorcyclist aged between 40-49 years died, and 1,829 motorist aged 50 years or more died the same year
• The number of deaths caused by motorcycles with 0-1000cc was 2,081, 1,001-1,400cc motorcycles caused 669 deaths, while more than 1,400cc motorcycles caused 1,582 deaths.
• Out of the fatalities recorded in motorcycle accidents in 2018, cruiser or standard motorcycles with 0-1000cc caused 393 deaths, while standard motorcycles with 1,001-1,400cc caused 369 deaths while standard motorcycles with 1,400cc and above caused 709 deaths.
• Touring motorcycles with 0-1000cc caused two deaths while touring motorcycles with 1,001-1,400cc caused 65 deaths, while 709 deaths were recorded for touring motorcycles with 1,400cc and above.
• Sport-touring motorcycles with 0-1,000cc caused 22 deaths, while sport-touring motorcycles with 1,000-1,400cc caused 35 deaths, and those with 1,400 and above cc caused 0 deaths.
• Sport or unclad sports motorcycles with 0-1000cc caused 402 deaths, while those with 1,0001-1,400cc caused 147 deaths, and those with 1,400 and above cc caused 11 deaths.
• Super sportbikes with 0-1000cc caused 991 deaths. Those with 1,000-1,400cc caused 18 deaths, while those with 1,400cc and above caused no deaths.
• Off-road bikes with 0-1000cc caused 74 deaths, while those with 1,00- 1,400 and above did not cause any death.
• Unknown bikes with 0-1,000cc caused 198 deaths. Those with 1,000-1,400cc caused 35 deaths, while unknown bikes with 1,400cc and above caused 19 deaths.
• A total of 2,842 deaths were recorded for motorists with helmets, while those without a helmet were 1,686. A total of 147 motorcyclists had unknown helmet use fatal injuries.
• The highest number of deaths were recorded in June, accounting for 13% of the total deaths, while the lowest number of deaths were recorded in December with 183 deaths, accounting for 4% of the total deaths.
• The highest number of motorcyclist deaths were recorded between 6 p.m. -9 p.m., with a high of 415 deaths, which accounts for 18% of the deaths recorded based on the day’s time.
• The number of motorcycle deaths on urban interstate and freeways was 514, accounting for 10% of the total deaths, while rural interstate and freeways deaths were 113, 2% of the total deaths.
• Urban non-interstate major roads accounted for 1,719 deaths, 34% of the total deaths, while rural non-interstate major roads accounted for 932 deaths, representing 19% of the total deaths.
• The total deaths on minor urban roads were 751 (15%), while minor rural roads accounted for 832 deaths (17%)
• The total number of motorcyclist deaths in urban roads was 2,986 (60%) while rural roads accounted for 1,879 deaths (38%)

1. Alcohol Involvement in Motorcycle Fatalities

26% of fatally injured motorcycles had a blood alcohol concentration at 0.08% or above. The estimated number of single-vehicle deaths was 1,753, while those with a BAC of 0.08% or above were 681. The number of deaths recorded in multiple-vehicle crash types was 2,922, with 18 deaths for motorcyclists with a BAC of 0.08% and higher.

46% of motorcyclists were killed between 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. and had a BAC level of 0.8% and higher. Other times accounted for 19% of the total 4,675 total deaths recorded in 2018.

1. National ATVs Fatality Statistics in 2018

The number of All-terrain vehicles has increased nine times since 1982, which is the first year that FARS was used to record fatal crash data. Within these years, the number of fatal injured ATV riders 40 years and older increased from 9% in 1982 to 47% in 2018. Other ATV-related fatalities are as follows:

• A total of 15 riders below 13 years died in 2018, accounting for 5% of the total deaths related to age.
• A total of 35 riders between 13-19 years died, which was 12% of the total deaths recorded related to the rider’s age.
• A total of 57 riders between 20-29 years died, accounting for 19% of the total deaths recorded related to the riders’ age.
• A total of 54 riders between 30-39 years died, accounting for 18% of ATV death-related deaths recorded in 2018
• A total of 50 riders aged between 40-49 years died accounting for 17% of the total deaths recorded in 2018
• A total of 92 riders of 50 years and above died, accounting for 30% of the total deaths recorded in 2018
• There were 40 deaths on urban roads accounting for 13%, while rural ATV-related deaths were 256 accounting for 87% of all deaths.

Different Ways That a Personal Injury Attorney Will Help in Your Car Accident Case

If you or your loved one was involved in a car accident, you should seek professional legal help to increase the possibilities of getting compensated as required. Personal injury attorneys should assist their clients in achieving their rightful compensation in different ways. Here is a brief overview of the different ways that an attorney can help in your car accident.

Communicate With the Other Driver’s Insurance Company

Your lawyer should open a line of communication with the at-fault’s insurance adjuster in your injury case. The adjuster has a significant impact on your compensation, hence the need to allow your attorney to handle communications with the adjuster.

Obtaining Necessary Evidence Showing Liability of the Other Party

A reliable attorney should help obtain all necessary evidence needed to prove liability in an accident claim. You might have photos of your injuries, but the attorney might decide to visit the accident scene and see how the accident was. An attorney can also get all the accident reports if you have to speak regularly with the investigating officers and witnesses.

Obtaining Necessary Evidence to Prove your Damages

If you have suffered significant damages in a car accident, a good lawyer would be essential. Every personal injury case requires all documentation related to the injuries, but it is not usually easy to get hands-on those records from necessary parties. However, with a personal injury attorney’s help, you can easily access those records due to the legal authority in their services.

Negotiating Your Settlement

Finally, your lawyer will negotiate your settlement with the at-fault party. Negotiations need special skills, and the best person for such skills is a personal injury attorney. A reasonable attorney knows how much a case is worth and would know how to work out around the case and conduct the negotiations effectively to get the best possible compensation.

Find a Personal Injury Law Firm Near Me

Once you or your loved one is involved in a fatal accident, you should hire an attorney to help fight for compensation. It would be best if you chose a car accident attorney with the skills and knowledge needed in your compensation claim. At The LA Personal Injury Law Firm, we are prepared with excellent skills and resources to fight for you. Call us at 310-935-0089 and let us review your case today and offer legal counsel.