Motor vehicle deaths in Pennsylvania car accidents

Accidents on the road have taken countless lives in Pennsylvania and across the nation. In 2013, there were over 30,000 fatal car accidents in the United States resulting in over 32,000 lives lost. In Pennsylvania specifically, there were 1,117 fatal accidents and 1,208 deaths as a result of those collisions.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System collects accident data all across the country. According to their 2013 findings, there is a road accident death rate of 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people. The findings showed that there are 1.11 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. In Pennsylvania, the death rate is 9.5 deaths per 100,000 people, which is lower than the nation’s average. However, there are 1.22 deaths per 100 million miles, which is higher than the nation’s average.

With so many tragedies every year, it is important to note that many factors play a role in these fatal accidents including speed of travel, rates of licensure, weather and type of vehicle driven. Statistics show that 45 percent of road deaths in Pennsylvania involve people in standard passenger vehicles whereas 21 percent involve people in pickup trucks and SUVs. A considerable number of these accident fatalities involved drunk driving and lack of seatbelt use. Knowing this information can help officials make changes to help prevent some of these senseless accident deaths.

For those who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, these changes may be too late. However, there is hope. Filing a lawsuit against those responsible for the accident may be the best way to receive damages to aid in the recovery process.

Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “General statistics,” accessed on March 17, 2015