A Look at 2012 Auto Accident Injury Statistics

Published by Joseph Shea

on June 10, 2013

Each day, thousands of Americans suffer serious injuries due to automobile accidents. Unfortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the United States dies in a motor vehicle collision every 15 minutes. Here is a look at some common trends associated with auto accident injuries in 2012:

Increase in 2012 accident fatalities

In an early report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2012 showed a significant increase in fatal auto accidents when compared to the previous year. The report estimates that in the first three months of 2012, 7,630 drivers or passengers were killed in traffic crashes. This is a 13.5% increase from the same time period in 2011.

Reasons for increase in 2012 fatalities

Transportation officials have noted that it is too soon to determine exactly what caused this increase in dangerous automobile accident collisions. However, they have pointed out that Americans tend to drive more frequently in good weather conditions, and 2012 was an especially warm year. In fact, the Federal Highway Administration reported that during the first quarter of 2012, vehicles traveled approximately 9.7 billion more miles than they had during the same time period in 2011.

Reported teenage fatalities in 2012

According to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, fatal auto accidents among 16 and 17 year olds increased 19% during the first six months of 2012 when compared to 2011. The report further broke down this increase by state and found that 25 of the nation’s states saw an increase in teen accident fatalities. Even though the exact cause of this increase isn’t known, a number of state officials have attributed the increase in auto accidents to distracted driving behavior.

Following an accident, you may be entitled to collect compensation for your injuries. Shea Law Group can offer a free initial consultation to review the facts of your case. To contact our personal injury team, call (888) 529-4185. You can also find out more on our website.

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