Statistics

  1. There were over 6 million reported automobile accidents in 2002 in the United States
    • Over 38,000 of those accidents were fatal
    • 2.9 million people were injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2002
    • 17,419 people were killed as a result of an alcohol-related automobile accident in 2002
      • This accounts for 41% of all traffic-related deaths
  2. Rollover accidents kill more than 10,000 people each year in the United States
    • The rate of serious injury in passenger vehicle rollover crashes is 36 percent higher than in crashes where there is no rollover
    • More than 200 deaths (and 700 injuries) in the United States have resulted from Ford Explorers rolling over as the result of tread separation on one of its Firestone tires
    • Sports-Utility Vehicles (SUVs) rollover fatalities accounted for 61% of the rollover fatalities in 2002
      • Few SUVs meet the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) standards for vehicle roofs
  3. According to the National Safety Council, over 2.5 million rear end collisions are reported every year, making them the most common type of automobile accident
    • Rear end accidents are also known as “whiplash accidents” because the nature of the collision often results in a whiplash injury for the driver in the front car
      • About 20 percent of people involved in rear end collisions exhibit symptoms of whiplash
  4. In 2002, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 70,000 accidents involving automobiles and pedestrians
    • Of these accidents, 4,464 proved to be fatal
    • The majority of these accidents occur in urban areas and in non-intersection areas of the road
  5. Since 1966, over 100,000 riders have been killed in motorcycle accidents
    • 75% of motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle, most likely a passenger automobile
  6. Around 500,000 crashes involving a large truck occur each year
    • Approximately 5,000 of these accidents result in fatalities
    • In 1999, the average cost per large truck crash involving property damage was $11,300
      • The average cost per large truck crash involving an injury was $217,005
  7. Almost 500,000 people in the United States suffer the effects of a spinal cord injury and there are around 10,000 new cases each year
    • 35% of spinal cord injuries are caused by automobile accidents, making car crashes the leading cause of spinal cord injuries
    • 80% of new cases involving spinal cord injury involve males age 16-30

Auto Accident Statistic Resources: