Many District of Columbia motorists know that there are risks of becoming involved in a car accident when they sit behind the wheel. While car-related fatalities have actually been declining since 1985 due to improvements in vehicle safety and structural designs,, the death rate is still relatively considerable.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 33,804 reported vehicle-related deaths in 2013. With reported U.S. deaths totaling about 2.6 million during that year, an individual’s chance of dying in a crash-related accident comes out to approximately one in 77. Those who are at risk for vehicle-related deaths include motorists, passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Of those 33,804 killed, more than 8,600 were occupants of vehicles that were involved in the accidents. Pedestrians accounted for just under 5,000 of those killed while 4,169 motorcyclists were killed. Approximately 620 bicyclists also died in car crashes. The classification of the remaining fatalities was not specified.
This figure was compared to deaths caused by diseases or other incidents. For example, reported deaths that were caused by firearms were comparable; the chances of dying were also one in 77. While heart disease and general accidents still kill about one in four and one in 20 respectively, individuals are less likely to die from homicide, skin cancer, drowning or fire than from a car crash.
When a person becomes involved in a car accident, whether an occupant of another vehicle or a pedestrian, motorcyclist or bicyclist, there is a chance of becoming seriously injured. If the accident was caused by the negligence of another motorist, the injured victim might want the assistance of an attorney in seeking compensation from the at-fault party.
