You know that car accidents are very common, considering the fact that they take more than 35,000 lives every year in the United States. But you also know that states like Texas and California add to these overall statistics significantly simply because of their large populations. They have more cars, more roads, more people and more accidents.
To really understand the car accident risks that you face in New Jersey, you need to look at the state-specific statistics. The most current ones on record are from 2016, and they show that:
- There were a total of 256,482 car accidents in that year alone.
- While most crashes were minor — a trend you will find everywhere — they still meant that 59,096 accidents led to injuries.
- On top of that, 602 people lost their lives. These deaths came in 571 accidents, showing that most fatal incidents just take one life, but you do have some cases with multiple fatalities.
- In 2015, there were 40 fewer fatalities, showing that the roads were getting more dangerous with time.
As you can see, you do face some serious risks. Just under two people die every day in New Jersey car accidents. There are hundreds of injuries and accidents each day, even when not leading to fatalities. You have to be aware of this danger.
What can you do?
It’s hard — and often impossible — to avoid accidents. Other drivers put you in danger. There’s nothing you can do to control how they drive.
That said, there are some steps you can take to reduce the risks. These include things like:
- Never using your phone behind the wheel
- Never driving when you feel exhausted
- Never driving after drinking or using drugs
- Never breaking traffic laws, even those — like the speed limit — that most people break all of the time
- Never engaging in road rage
- Always staying aware and alert
- Always trying to become a better defensive driver
- Always assuming that others will make mistakes, which can help you have a better reaction time
- Always driving during the day and in good weather conditions
Again, these tips can simply help lower your odds of a crash. They give you a better chance of staying safe. Unfortunately, nothing guarantees it.
What rights do you have?
If you do get into a car accident caused by another driver, you need to know what rights you have. For instance, you may have high medical bills and many other costs. You need to find out if you can seek financial compensation to help cover those costs.