If you or a loved one was recently involved in a Georgia car accident, you are not alone. In 2015, there were 385,221 motor vehicle accidents in the state of Georgia, according to data from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. This is a 15 percent increase from 2014’s total of 333,963.
Other Georgia Car Accident Statistics You Should Know
Many of the 385,000 accidents were minor or only involved property damage. However, there were 19,405 serious injuries and 1,430 deaths. The deadliest area in the state was Fulton County with seven percent of the year’s fatalities.
One hundred eighty of these deaths involved drivers under 21. This number increased after a steady decline over recent years.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety attributed:
- 366 fatalities to alcohol
- 268 fatalities to speeding
The 1,430 fatalities included:
- 152 motorcycle riders, 10 of whom were not wearing a helmet
- 193 pedestrians
- 23 bicyclists
Are These Numbers Decreasing?
No. In fact, every number increased from 2014:
- Total fatalities: 1,164 in 2014 to 1,430 in 2015 (22.85 percent increase)
- Serious injuries: 16,168 in 2014 to 19,405 in 2015 (20 percent increase)
- Under-21 fatalities: 149 in 2014 to 168 in 2015 (12.75 percent increase)
- Fatalities related to alcohol: 279 in 2014 to 366 in 2015 (31 percent increase)
- Fatalities related to speeding: 213 in 2014 to 268 in 2015 (25.8 percent increase)
- Motorcycle accident fatalities: 137 in 2014 to 152 in 2015 (10.9 percent increase)
- Pedestrian accident fatalities: 163 in 2014 to 193 in 2015 (18 percent increase)
- Bicyclist fatalities: 19 in 2014 to 23 in 2015 (21 percent increase)
Note: While accidents and deaths are not going down, average seatbelt use is going up. It has been increasing steadily since 2012 when it was at 90.5 percent. In 2016, it was at 95.8 percent according to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. While seatbelt use is going up, data shows that 46 percent of all car crash deaths in 2015 resulted from non-restraint use.
Were There Any Common Causes Among These Accidents?
Car accidents occur for many different reasons. The following are among the common causes of car accidents in Georgia:
Distractions
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, texting is the biggest catalyst for distracted driving. However, there are various distractions. These include:
- Eating and drinking behind the wheel
- Grooming
- Talking to passengers
- Entering addresses or checking GPS
- Changing the radio station
- Reaching for something on the floor
In Georgia, distracted driving accounted for a whopping 74 percent of driving fatalities in 2016, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Intoxicated Driving
In Georgia, there were 3,699 traffic deaths involving drunk drivers between 2003 and 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, drunk driving contributes to approximately 33 percent of traffic fatalities annually.
Speeding
According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the chance of a crash being fatal increases by three times in crashes involving speeding. And while everyone speeds occasionally, young males are the most likely to be involved in fatal car accidents.
In 2015, 22 percent of male drivers aged 15 to 24 were speeding at the time of their fatal accidents. That figure jumps up to 27 percent for young male motorcyclists.
Is Georgia Doing Anything to Lower These Numbers?
Georgia has enacted a variety of safety measures and campaigns in hopes of slowing the accident rate. The state’s “Drive Alert, Arrive Alive” campaign is arguably the most visible. While Georgia is doing what it can to curb the rate of accidents and deaths, there are some things we can all do as road users:
- Focus on driving, not on your phone, car entertainment system, or passengers.
- Never drive drowsy. Always get a good night’s sleep before you need to do any extended driving.
- Do not drink and drive. And remember the adage, “Buzzed driving is drunk driving.”
- Drive the speed limit.
- Always wear a helmet/seatbelt.
- Do not walk or ride your bicycle while intoxicated or distracted.
Call a Georgia Car Accident Attorney
While we hope you never end up as an accident statistic, it is likely you will be involved in a crash at some point in your life. In fact, according to estimates from the car insurance industry, most drivers are involved in a car accident approximately every 18 years.
If you end up in a car accident, you may want to consider hiring a Georgia car accident attorney. Our personal injury firm in Atlanta has represented car accident victims for over 20 years. We can protect your rights and help get you the compensation you need to pay for your injuries and other related costs.
Keep our number handy in case you ever need it: 404-842-7838.
