Cost of Non-Fatal Car Accidents $18.4 Billion Annually
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released the latest statistics regarding the cost each year from non-fatal traffic accidents. That information released by the CDC was compiled using data from the year 2012.
Many people realize the cost of fatal crashes – both emotionally and economically. In 2012, there were almost 23,000 people killed in car crashes, at a financial cost of $226 million. The CDC also puts the potential life in years lost at 265,000.
Non-fatal car accidents, although not as emotionally devastating as fatal ones, can be financially devastating. According to the report, the medical costs of non-fatal accidents in 2012 were $18.4 billion. In total for the year, victims visited emergency rooms 2.5 million times because of injuries they sustained in car crashes. Almost 10 percent of these emergency room visits resulted in the patient being admitted to the hospital for treatment, with the total amount of days lost to hospitalization at 1,057,465.
The number of teenage non-fatal car accident victims was disproportionate when compared with other age groups. Teens only account for approximately 20 percent of the population, yet in the accident data, they account for almost 40 percent of all injured victims. The report found one of the reasons for the high number of teenage car accident victims was their failure to use safety belts. Twenty percent of the victims between 16 to 24 years of age failed to use vehicle seat belts.
Car accident victims who were between the ages of 21 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years were the ones who had the highest incidents of drinking and driving when they were in car crashes, compared with other age groups. Additionally, victims who were older than 60 years of age had the highest rate of sustaining injuries in accidents.
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by the fault of another driver, contact an experienced New Braunfels car accident attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to for pain and loss.
