How Likely Is It That I Will Die In a Car Accident?

A lot has been said about the dangers of riding in a car. Yet we rarely consider whether we’ll need the services of a car accident attorney when we walk out the door and put the keys in the ignition each day. 

But would it shock you to learn your odds of dying in a car accident or lower than dying from an opioid overdose and higher than dying in a plane crash? In this article, you might be shocked to learn how easy it is to die in a car accident, yet how often others die from other causes. 

30,000 people die every year from motor vehicle accidents in the US and according to the National Safety Council, your odds of dying in a car accident are 1 in 107. Your odds of dying in a fall are 1 in 106. Your odds of dying in a traffic accident are also lower than dying from an opioid overdose. 

What Is the Likelihood of Dying In a Fatal Car Accident?

The likelihood of dying in a car accident increases substantially if you have long commutes, or drive a substantial amount of time at night. It might also increase if you use highways frequently. When calculating the chances of someone surviving a car accident, many variables can affect the statistics. For example, your gender, age, driving habits, and mental stability can affect the likelihood and consequences of a collision. Despite these various factors, car accidents are the third leading cause of preventable deaths, behind only drug overdoses and slips and falls. 

What Factors Influence the Severity of a Car Accident?

Below, we detail some of the factors that can cause more serious car accidents. 

Lack of a Seatbelt

Many people die yearly because they aren’t wearing a seatbelt. It can be difficult to determine how many lives would have been saved had they been wearing a seatbelt but the number would likely be less if people wore a seatbelt. 

Driver Age 

The younger a driver is, the more likely they are to be involved in a car accident, and the more likely they are to be severely injured in that car accident. Younger drivers have the highest risks for fatal car accidents and the risk lessens as drivers age. Drivers aged 16-22 have much higher risks of dying in a car accident than drivers around the age of 65. 

Driver Gender 

Men have a higher chance of dying in a car accident than women. In fact, men are more than three times as likely to die in a car accident than women and studies show men are involved in more fatal accidents than women every year. 

Driving Habits 

Driver behavior causes about 95% of car accidents and recognition errors can cause around 40% of all accidents. Speeding is another common cause of car accidents. As you increase your speed, your chances of dying in a car accident also rise. 

Intoxicated Driving

Around 30% of drivers involved in single-car accidents die because of drug and alcohol use and 13% of drivers killed in multiple-car accidents have tested positive for drug and alcohol usage. You might be sober, but there is still a possibility that other drivers are driving under the influence. You should always avoid driving under the influence, even if you have only had a few drinks. 

If you find yourself in a car accident, contacting an accident lawyer will reduce your stress and they will provide step by step information on how to proceed. Every accident is different and there is no need to stress about the consequences and next steps alone.