Traffic accidents in the United States happen so frequently that they are the leading cause of death and personal injury in the United States. The cost of car accidents in the country is astounding at an estimated more than $240 billion annually. It isn’t just the loss of productivity, the medical costs, or the property damages that result from traffic incidents in the United States that have a high cost, it is also the sorrow that people have to bear when they lose loved ones in traffic collisions. Car accidents aren’t just an issue for the United States, around the world approximately 1.3 million people lose their lives in traffic incidents. This comes out to 3,287 lives lost every single day from car accidents that take place somewhere in the world.

Young adults aged 15-44 are highly affected by traffic collisions in the country and this demographic makes up over half of the deaths that take place when a collision happens. Globally, fatal car accidents rank ninth for the most common reason for people dying while they rank first in the United States. If you have lost a loved one in the state of Florida because of a fatal Florida car accident, you have rights. You may be able to pursue a Florida wrongful death claim to obtain compensation to pay for a variety of damages you sustained like your loved one’s burial expenses and other final costs, such as your pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of the deceased’s income, loss of mentorship, and even punitive damages in some cases. To ensure that you are taken care of and treated fairly by Florida’s wrongful death claim system, working with a Florida wrongful death attorney will be beneficial.

Fatal Car Accidents in the United States

In 2019 alone, there were 38,800 people who died as a result of a car accident in the country. Even though the number of individuals who died from a car accident in 2019 was less than those who lost their lives in 2018 by 2%, there was still a significant amount of death that year. Of those who died from traffic incidents in 2019, 25,096 were inside of a vehicle, 5,286 were riding on motorcycles, and 7,079 died under other circumstances.

The most common type of fatal car accident took place when one car collided with another car at an angle, and 38% of the fatal car accidents that occurred in 2019 involved more than one vehicle. From June to September, the most fatal accidents took take place in 2016. There are a variety of reasons for this including more vacationers drinking and getting behind the wheel as well as increased opportunities to get together outside for gatherings that include alcohol. It isn’t uncommon to have certain times of the year more prone to increased accidents that also come with increased fatalities from these incidents. The summer and holidays boast some of the highest numbers with regard to fatal traffic collisions. The same is true for certain days of the week. Saturday is a very risky day to be on the road and is a day of the week where many fatal car accidents take place. Dark environments like driving at night are also is a factor that leads to more fatal accidents happening.

What Safety Devices Can Safeguard Against Deadly Car Accidents in Florida?

Car manufacturers are constantly testing and researching to find ways to develop new technologies and safety features that can reduce the risk of fatal crashes happening. Even so, drivers are ultimately responsible for their behavior behind the wheel. Drivers must be cognizant and alert while behind the wheel to avoid crashes.  The devices that are built-in to cars that can provide some help to a driver and the car’s occupants when an accident does happen to include the following:

• Airbags that inflate to cushion front passengers from impact when the impact from a collision takes place. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, frontal airbags are responsible for saving and preserving the lives of almost 3,000 individuals who were legally able to sit in the front seat in 2017.
• Seatbelts are long-known to reduce the seriousness of injuries and the likelihood of death in a crash. Just using a seatbelt reduces fatalities for occupants in a car who sit in the front seat by 45%.
• Due to the effectiveness of child safety seats, the NHTSA reports that around 325 million children aged five years and younger lived when they were in a traffic accident.
• Motorcyclists don’t have much protection to shield them from harm when an accident situation happens, but helmets are the most effective defense against head trauma and death. The NHTSA says that in 2017 helmet use was the reason behind saving the lives of 1,872 people and if used universally that year would have also saved another 749 lives.
• Electronic stability control manages brakes and engine power which reduce the chances of a rollover incident taking place.

Speak with an Experienced Florida Car Accident Attorney Today

The bottom line is that even though fatal car accidents are not as prominent as injury accidents, Florida’s fatal car accidents still take place quite frequently. Car accidents are a major problem in the United States and they can have major repercussions. The loss of a loved one is the most distressing and woeful type of accident outcome that can happen. 

The loved ones left behind have so much on their plate and taking on a challenging legal battle shouldn’t be one of them. The Jacksonville wrongful death attorneys at Sheftall Law have tremendous compassion for victims who have to experience such an unbearable situation as a fatal car accident that takes away loved ones far too early. If you were affected by a Jacksonville fatal traffic accident, call Sheftall Law immediately to learn about your rights and how to obtain the highest amount of compensation from your Florida personal injury claim at 904-647-2296.