State Figures for Accidents

State Figures for Accidents

As public agencies and vehicle manufacturers try to keep down the number of overall collisions, annual reports on crash causes can provide invaluable information. These studies not only provide useful information for policy-makers at the state and local levels, but they grant police departments a more comprehensive view of what causes accidents. In addition, these figures help the public by providing a real window into the effects of reckless or careless driving.

Perhaps one of the biggest concerns for law enforcement officers and state legislators has been the problem of alcohol use on the road. For example, in the state of Wisconsin, these accidents only made up 4 percent of the total accidents in the state in 2009. A combination of alcohol use and speeding made up an additional 1.8 percent of accidents in total. However, in terms of fatal crashes, alcohol use accounted for 24.8 percent and speeding while under the influence of alcohol accounted for an additional 18 percent.

In terms of overall accident prevention, the primary concerns for those in Wisconsin in 2009 were vehicle and road defects. According to the state’s records, 25.4 percent of all accidents in the state in 2009 were caused by something other than driver error or negligence. Comparatively, these issues join to be the most frequent causes for an accident.

Driver error was a major concern as well. A lack of attention accounted for the second highest cause for an accident at 17.8 percent of all accidents. Speeding remained a serious concern, making up 15.9 percent of collisions and 15.6 percent of fatal crashes. These problems are certainly difficult to combat, but these sorts of figures can help drivers recognize the consequences of their mistakes.

The road can be a particularly dangerous place for motorcyclists, who are often relatively unprotected. To learn more about negligence on the road and how injured parties can seek compensation, contact a motorcycle accident attorney today.