How Can Society Reduce Crash-Related Injuries?
Injuries from traffic accidents are the leading cause of personal injury in the United States. In 2012 alone, over 2.5 million people needed treatment for injuries in an emergency department and of these, 200,000 required hospitalization. On average, one emergency room visit for an individual who was in a crash costs over $3,000. The average cost of hospitalization, on the other hand, comes in at $57,000.
The immense cost to the United States in terms of property damage, fatalities, injuries, and loss of production is staggering. In 2012, the loss of production cost the country $33 billion. More than one million days are spent in the hospital each year from crash injuries. So what can be done?
Strategies To Reduce Crash- Related Injuries
Accidents happen and are a reality of modern life. They cannot be eliminated but a combination of government oversight and personal responsibility can help reduce them.
Government interventions are particularly beneficial at the state level. State officials can promote proven safety behaviors such as car seats for children, seatbelt use, campaigns against driving while intoxicated on drugs or alcohol and develop improved safety regulations and guidance for teen drivers. Additionally, putting efforts into enforcing traffic laws and holding regular sobriety checkpoints may help prevent crashes before they have the opportunity to happen.
Continual research into crash data is also helpful. Understanding what factors are causing crashes and how to combat them makes a difference. For example, the “Click it or Ticket” campaign was extremely successful in educating the public about the safety benefits of wearing a seatbelt.
The public also has a role to play in safe driving. Companies who employ individuals who are required to drive can do background checks, provide training, drug test regularly, and set schedules that allow for proper rest to reduce driver fatigue. Additionally, keeping company vehicles properly maintained lessens the likelihood of an accident that can happen outside of the driver’s control.
Individuals can follow the rules of the road, never drive drowsy or intoxicated, reduce and eliminate distractions when behind the wheel, and not speed. Every passenger including the driver should always wear a seatbelt and children should always be in the appropriate car seats.
Arizona Car Accident Lawyers
The cost of traffic accidents is astounding in the United States because accidents are so common. They are a daily occurrence. In Arizona, crashes in 2017 cost the state $10 billion from all the damages they produced. Each year our state reports more than 100,00 accidents and 30,000 will have injuries with 1,000 fatalities.
After an accident that was not your fault where you sustained injuries, the Phoenix automobile accident attorneys at ELG are here to help you start the personal injury claim process. We will examine your accident experience and provide you guidance on the best way to move forward. Our Arizona serious accident attorneys have many years of experience successfully representing victims of the state of Arizona.
We care about victims in Arizona and we will fight to protect the rights of these individuals. Our knowledgeable and resourceful attorneys at ELG will answer all of your questions and work to ensure you see a fair settlement. Call us today and set up a free consultation at either our Phoenix or Mesa motorcycle accident injury law offices at (623) 562-3838.
