In spite of growing awareness of distracted driving and the modern-day technology created to keep drivers safer, motor vehicle collisions lead the way when it comes to severe injuries and death. In 2019, more than 38,000 people lost their lives in accidents. That two percent reduction from the previous year did not last, particularly due to a worldwide pandemic the following year.
Wide open roads apparently resulted in irresistible temptations to drive fast and recklessly. Motor vehicle fatalities grew in 2020, according to initial reports.
Breaking down the numbers
In the United States, 2017 saw more than 40 percent or 40,000+ were killed in vehicle collisions. The previous year saw nearly 35,000 fatal motor vehicle accidents reported by the police. Breakdowns of the almost 38,000 total fatalities include:
- 25,096 vehicle occupants
- 5,286 motorcyclists
- 7,079 non-occupants
Every year, approximately 1.3 million people lose their lives in motor vehicle accidents, averaging 3,284 deaths per day. Young adults (15 to 44 years old) are equally troubling, who made up more than half of those fatalities. Even more alarming is the 15 to 29-year-olds worldwide who lose their lives in accidents.
Additional statistics
Fatal accidents are more likely on Saturdays, with more than 6,100 collisions. Nearly half happened at night, with 41 percent occurring in the dark with lighted conditions.
Surprisingly, close to 60 percent of fatal car accidents involved one vehicle. Forty percent involved fixed objects, including trees and street signs, or what is deemed a non-collision, such as a rollover.
The troubling trend of motor vehicle accidents continues, often at the expense of loved ones’ lives, devastating and forever changing families.