North Carolina ranked fifth in the states having the most fatal accidents in 2020 based on population, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. Other data compiled at the end of 2022 are also disturbing.
Fatalities
North Carolina, according to the Policygenius complied data, had 1,412 fatal car accidents causing 1,538 fatalities in 2020. The United States suffered 35,776 fatal car accidents and 38,824 crash fatalities that year.
California had the highest number of car accident deaths, 3,847 fatalities from 3,558 accidents. Texas was second with 3,874 deaths in 3,520 accidents. This may be attributed to both states’ high population and road use. Washington D.C. had the lowest rate with 36 deaths in 34 crashes.
Forty-three percent of fatalities occurred on rural roads in this county. The average medical cost for people injured in car crashes was $11,556 in 2020.
Characteristics
Distracted driving, such as texting and cellphone use, causes most accidents. Younger drivers are affected more by this behavior.
Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol plays a large role in speeding. Slick roads and bad weather also cause motorists to exceed speed limits.
Most accidents apparently occur close to home. In a study of 1,644 patients involved in car accidents, the National Center for Biotechnology found that 1,267 crashes occurred within 10 miles of their home.
The Ford Fiesta, according to an IIHS report, was the make and model with the highest fatality rate in single-vehicle rollover accidents in 2017. It had 141 motorist deaths per million registered vehicle years. The Hyundai Accent is another subcompact vehicle, which had the second highest rate at 116 per million registered vehicle years.
Baltimore is the city with the highest number of car accidents. Its driver averaged one incident every 4.19 years, according to Allstate’s 2019 Best Driver Report.
Victims of a car crash caused by a negligent or reckless driver may suffer serious and chronic injuries or death. Attorneys can help victims and their families seek compensation for these accidents.