While cars are very useful tools, they are also incredibly dangerous, as they are a top cause of catastrophic injury and premature death in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, even those who are very fastidious about their own safety on the road will undoubtedly encounter numerous others who are not nearly so diligent.
The better people understand what causes the worst collisions in Pennsylvania, the easier it can be to make choices that can help minimize an individual’s personal risk of harm. Motorists who learn about the top causes of fatal collisions in Pennsylvania may be in a better position to protect themselves and their passengers in traffic.
Single-vehicle incidents are the top kind of fatal crash
Although people might imagine that collisions between two vehicles both traveling at high speeds would be the deadliest type of wreck in Pennsylvania, that is not actually the case. In a review of statewide crash data, researchers found that the majority of deadly crashes did not involve two or more motor vehicles colliding. Instead, they involved one vehicle.
The vehicle may have hit a pedestrian, which is a type of collision very likely to prove fatal. The crash could also involve someone losing control of their vehicle and striking infrastructure, a tree or a building with tragic results. Distraction, excess speed and intoxication, as well as a failure to use safety restraints, all contributed to deadly collisions involving only one vehicle.
Researchers did note that the second leading cause of fatal crashes in Pennsylvania was side-impact collisions, many of which occur at busy intersections. Head-on collisions were also among the types of crashes most likely to be fatal. All of these types of crashes often occur because one driver doesn’t pay attention to their surroundings.
Fatal car crashes can lead to grounds upon which victims can file insurance claims, personal injury lawsuits or even wrongful death lawsuits. Of course, it is better to avoid such a tragedy than to recover money afterward. Therefore, learning more about why the worst collisions occur may help people protect themselves and their loved ones from potentially deadly or life-altering collisions before they have a chance to occur.