Posts Tagged driver
The World’s Worst Drivers – Car Accident Statistics From Around the World
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 17, 2009
Millions of Car Accidents occur worldwide every year, and the fatalities due to these accidents are also in the millions. Most of the time, it is somehow the driver who is responsible for the accident.
According to a Traffic Report by the WHO, road accidents kill more than 1.2 million people annually, and around fifty million people get injured or disabled. These numbers are increasing with the passage of years. Out of over 1.2 million worldwide, 90% of the deaths are caused in the countries that have low or middle level incomes. Globally, more than half of the total accidents that occur are with drivers between the age of 15 and 44 years, and the drivers in more than 73% of cases are males.
In the UK, the number of accidents has considerably decreased in percentage over the past four or five years. Recent reports show that the road accidents have decreased by one to two percent since the year 2006.
According to an estimate, the number of accidents every year in the US is more than six million. These accidents injure millions, while thousands of people are killed. The number of people killed in car accidents in the US is thirteen times that killed in the UK. However, this difference is not very dramatic as the US is 40 times the size of UK.
In the EU, the country with the highest number of Car accidents and fatalities is Italy followed by Poland. The UK also has a relatively high rate as compared to other EU countries. Around ten thousand car accidents occur in the UK each day, and most of these are the result of a mistake on the driver’s part. Car accidents comprise more than 52% of the total accidents in the EU.
Out of the total accidents in the EU, 67% are in the urban areas and in 75% of the total accidents, the driver is male. Young drivers between age 18 and 25 are involved in more than 21% of the total accidents and fatalities. Research shows that most of the accidents occur due to reckless driving and intoxication. Other than this, there are large numbers of rollover accidents involving young adults and teenage drivers. The number of accidents due to intoxication is also increasing continuously. In the US, about 70 to 80 people die every day due to accidents related to alcohol.
In accidents in the EU and US, most the cars are insured, and Car Accident Compensation Claims can be made along with any Car Accident Injury claims. However, there are many countries where there is no insurance, and hence Car accident claims cannot be made. This is especially true for the low and medium income countries of Africa and Asia where accidents are in large percentages, and Car Accident Compensation Claims and Car Accident Injury Claims are not usually made.
Why You Should Wear a Seat Belt
Posted by in Uncategorized on November 17, 2009
Although wearing seat belts is the number one safety measure when it comes to traveling in a vehicle, accidents still happen due to seat belts not being worn. Drivers and passengers do not wear seat belts for many reasons. Some forget to wear them, while others are just plain lazy to put on seat belts. After some time, this becomes a really bad habit.
Accidents can happen any time, any day. Some may be minor accidents, and some may be severe accidents. Drivers who don’t like wearing seat belts often say that accidents don’t happen to them if they are careful enough. But nothing can be further from the truth. Accidents do happen even to the most cautious of drivers. This is because sometimes, accidents are caused by factors that are beyond the control of the drivers. For example, another drunk driver may be the cause of the accident.
So seat belts are there to help protect the drivers (and whoever are in the car) at the moment when accidents happen.
When a crash occur, especially if a car is traveling at high speed, all passengers in the car are flung forward as the car comes to a sudden stop. When this happens, the fragile human body can sustain multiple injuries. For instance, the head may hit the dashboard, causing injury to the neck area. If the force is great enough, the body may even be sent flying through the windscreen. Such accidents are most likely to be fatal.
So the safety belt helps to safe guard the lives of the passengers should there be an accident. Even when there is a great impact, the safety belt will be able to prevent the body from being flung forward. For serious accidents, the belt may save a driver’s life.
Due to the importance of the safety belts, car manufacturers are required to abide by strict safety rules and regulations. Tests are often conducted in laboratories, under controlled environments. Sometimes, video footages of test results are released to the public to remind drivers to wear seat belts when driving. Such video footages often show what happen to crash dummies on the point of impact. In the lab tests, the bodies of the crash dummies are often shattered to pieces during a crash. Hopefully, these video footages can help deter drivers from neglecting their seat belts. After all, the human body is protein based, and unlike crash dummies, there is a soul in that body.
Accidents are unfortunate incidents, but they do happen. Not only do they cause damage to the physical bodies of the victims, they also cause undue distress to family and friends. What do you think will happen to a family if the sole bread winner is handicapped because he or she has forgotten to wear a seat belt? The consequences are dire.
So make every effort to wear safety belts the next time you drive.
