USAgencies

No one wants to get behind the wheel of their car and start thinking about their odds of getting into an automobile accident. Unfortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and numerous other agencies do just that. And, auto insurance companies look closely at the results as a way to determine what they will charge you.

As in other states, car accidents cause injuries and take lives throughout Alabama on a daily basis. And, when it comes to playing the odds – the University of Alabama’s Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS) claims that a typical driver in Alabama has greater than a 1-in-3 chance over their lifetime of being involved in a car accident that results in a death or injury.

Even more sobering is the fact that an individual residing in Alabama has a greater than 98 percent chance of being involved in a severe car crash during their lifetime.

As the old saying goes – the statistics speak for themselves. According to the latest edition of Alabama Traffic Crash Facts from 2012, multiple car accidents, including fatalities, happen daily in Alabama, which comes as no surprise. The statistics are broken down as follows:

• 128,307 traffic crashes (car, truck and motorcycle accidents) were reported to law enforcement (an average of 351 per day).
• A traffic crash was reported every 246 seconds.
• 870 people were killed in 813 fatal crashes (an average of 2.4 fatal wrecks and 2.2 people killed every day).
• A person died in a crash every 10 hours and 4 minutes.
• 40,202 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents.
• A person was injured in a crash every 13 minutes and 4 seconds.
• 90,426 crashes involved one vehicle hitting another.
• These accidents resulted in 353 fatalities and 25,878 injuries.
• 80 people were killed and 651 were injured in crashes in which a pedestrian was hit.
• 9 people were killed and 225 were injured in crashes in which a cyclist was hit.

Knowing how safe or unsafe Alabama roads are can help keep you protected when you’re behind the wheel. The six most common causes of accidents were:

1. Failed to yield right of way – 19,223 crashes
2. Tailgating – 17,347 crashes
3. Misjudged stopping distance – 12,414 crashes
4. Unseen object, person or vehicle – 10,074 crashes
5. Speeding – 8,487 crashes
6. Driver under the influence (DUI) – 6,781 crashes

Distracted driving is a growing cause of injuries and death on Alabama’s roads. Although the state made texting-while-driving illegal in 2012, adult drivers are still permitted to use hand-held cell phones, but teens are banned from doing so. Still, in 2010 – 1,846 people died in fatal car crashes in Alabama and the problem is far from slowing down.

While there are numerous reasons for auto accidents – too many can be directly attributed to driver error, usually caused by negligence, recklessness, driving under the influence or being distracted. Getting caught in such a scenario, even if you’re not at fault, can result in injury or death. And, if you’re lucky to come out unscathed, with only damage to your vehicle, your insurance company can still raise your rates.

That’s why – at policy renewal time – you may want to compare rates with other insurers to see what your options are so that you can get the lowest auto insurance rates in Alabama. Call USAgencies today at (800) 420-3712 to get a free, low-cost car insurance quote. You can also get a free auto insurance rate quote online.