The weather is getting colder and the driving is getting worse. In 2022, there were about 42,514 fatalities in the U.S. during 2021 due to car crashes.
Even though vehicles are going through detailed processes to become safer, car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Whether you are holding your phone or not, talking on the phone while driving increases your chances of getting into a crash by 400%. Although it is not recommended to use your phone while you’re driving, that is not the only culprit. Some of the most common reasons for fatal accidents are speeding, driving while tired or drunk, distracted driving and aggressive driving.
Distracted driving can range from eating, drinking, being on your phone, listening to music and anything that requires you to take your eyes off the road for even a second. Because of that, it is nearly impossible to eliminate fatal car accidents. In 2021, 8% of fatal crashes were due to distracted driving and around 3,521 people in the U.S. died due to fatal crashes caused by distracted driving.
Being a teen automatically puts you at a higher risk of getting into any vehicular accident. Teens are learning the way of the road the first two years of having their license and there are many mistakes they can make. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute stated that the hours between 9 p.m. and midnight are the least safe hours for a teen to be driving. This makes sense because this is around the time when people start drinking and are intoxicated. As someone who has an early curfew, I am sometimes grateful for it because there have been many times when there were accidents at the same spot I was at within minutes after I took off.
According to the National Library of Medicine, 13.3% of teens admitted to participating in street racing. I am surprised this number isn’t higher because it is a widespread thing for high schoolers to do. In 2022, it was determined that 35% of boys aged 15-20 and 19% of girls aged 15-20 were most likely to be speeding when a fatal crash occurred.
Racing is dangerous but road rage is not any better. Close to 66% of fatal crashes are due to aggressive driving and 37% of aggressive driving involves firearms. Whether you are an adult or a teen, it is important to maintain patience while driving because others have become violent and ready to kill over something that can be easily ignored. As someone who has experienced threats by a violent road rager, it is better to be annoyed in the moment and be alive later.
One of the most dangerous roads in Nebraska aside from I-80 is 132nd and L Street. I drive through this intersection at least four times a week and can say it is dangerous. This intersection was voted the worst intersection in the U.S. by many organizations. Only one mile from the interstate entrance, there are five to six lanes of traffic at each stoplight. Not only that but there has been construction not too far from this section which makes people drift from their lanes and move without signals and out of nowhere.
The DMV does ask about green arrows when turning left, but it seems as if many drivers have never heard of it. Not one of my friends knew the difference between a green light and a green arrow until it came down to a scary situation. A green arrow means you have the right of way to turn and you do not have to wait. A green light indicates that you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before turning. People automatically assume just because it’s green, they get to go. Failing to obey traffic signs has caused 4.2 percent of accidents.
Driving is dangerous because everyone has their perception of the law. By knowing the most common reasons for fatal crashes, you can learn to avoid them and spread the information around.
