Vehicle crashes are the top cause of injuries and fatalities in West Virginia and across the United States. Despite the efforts of the federal government to enhance road safety, there’s a notable annual increase in accidents. Approximately 32% of fatal crashes in West Virginia are due to speeding.
Speeding is dangerous because it hinders your ability to control yourself on the road. It diminishes your response to emergencies and extends the stopping distance for your vehicle. Road safety structures, such as median dividers and guardrails, will fail to protect you during a crash.
Demographic analysis of fatal accidents linked to speeding
Over the years, research has been done to analyze factors that make the roads unsafe as well as who is more likely to get into accidents. As it concerns speeding, the data is as follows.
Type of vehicle
Passenger vehicles dominate road traffic, making them frequent contributors to fatal road accidents. They constitute 30.6% of the vehicles involved in deadly accidents. The popularity of light trucks in West Virginia is increasingly high. Over 40% of fatal accidents have been attributed to light truck collisions. Surprisingly, a mere 4.1% of fatal car accidents in West Virginia involve large trucks and tractor-trailers.
Most of the severe motorcycle accidents result from insufficient protective barriers. 15.5% of motorcycle riders have experienced fatal accidents.
Age
The ages of people who are in wrongful death auto accidents can vary. Nevertheless, individuals aged 35 to 45 face the highest susceptibility. Teen drivers may hesitate to speed due to a lack of confidence from limited driving experience.
Types of crashes
Accident severity depends on collision type, road classification, and conditions. In multi-car crashes, the death rate is around 32.1%, compared to below 30% in crashes involving two cars. The deaths were higher in dark road conditions.
Speeding is dangerous and can cause harm to you and others on the road. One of the best protections against careless drivers is using a seatbelt. Utilizing a seatbelt significantly diminishes the chances of a fatal outcome in a car collision. Another protection is to drive defensively and cautiously.
