Motor-vehicle accidents are the second most common cause of unintentional deaths in the United States. Utah certainly sees its fair share of serious wrecks; according to the Department of Health, a collision happens in our state every 10 minutes. Every 36 hours, a person dies in a crash.
According to Zero Fatalities, after a decade of consistent decline, the rate of fatal accidents in Utah has been rising steadily since 2012. Thousands of families are affected by fatal crashes every year, and many of them face overwhelming debt due to lost income, medical costs, funeral bills and other expenses.
If you lost a loved one or were injured due to a negligent driver, contact the Truman Law Firm P.C. Ronald W. Truman graduated top 10 percent of his class from Brigham Young University, and he has been practicing law for more than 25 years. Call 435-986-2222 to schedule a free initial consultation with an accident lawyer in Utah.
What Are the Top 3 Causes of Car Accidents in Utah?
There are countless factors that cause motor-vehicle wrecks; however, human errors contribute to the vast majority of them. Three of the most common and deadliest driver mistakes include:
- Speeding
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, speeding was the number-one contributor to fatal accidents in Utah in 2016. That year, more than 35 percent of all fatal accidents involved at least one driver who was speeding. At least 99 people lost their lives in those collisions.
- Drunk Driving
In 2016, 208 people lost their lives in car accidents on Utah’s roads; however, there was actually a decline in drunk-driving crash fatalities. Compared to the three-year average, there were 10 fewer drunk-driving deaths in 2016. Unfortunately, alcohol still contributed to an estimated 8.9 percent of all road fatalities that year.
It’s no secret that the easiest way to avoid these accidents is to stay sober if you intend to drive. You should also keep an eye out for signs that another driver is intoxicated, such as:
- Swerving or drifting onto the shoulder;
- Using the wrong turn signal;
- Not using the turn signal;
- Not switching on the headlights at night;
- Speeding or driving much slower than the speed limit; or
- Stopping well before or after the stop line.
- Distracted Driving
According to Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, 3,179 people died in distracted-driving accidents in 2014. In 2016, driver distractions contributed to at least 21 deaths in Utah – accounting for 7.5 percent of all fatal wrecks.
If you were hurt or lost a family member because a motorist was speeding, drunk or distracted, contact the Truman Law Firm P.C. Although no amount of compensation can undo the emotional trauma of such an accident, you may be able to regain financial stability by filing a personal injury claim.
Ronald W. Truman is an injury attorney in Utah who will help you fight for the maximum compensation. Call 435-986-2222 to schedule a free initial consultation. You can also visit http://car-accident.usattorneys.com/ to learn more about car accident injury claims.
