Is It OK to Call a Collision an Accident?

There were 127,056 total crashes reported in the state of Arizona in 2018 according to data released by the Arizona Department of Transportation. That year 916 were fatal crashes taking the lives of 1,010 people and injuring 53,376 people. Across the country, there are more than 6 million accidents reported every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than 32,000 people die from crashes annually and millions are injured.

Given these dreary statistics, what exactly is a road collision? Is it more accurate to call it a crash or an accident? According to some safety advocates, the word “accident” minimizes the seriousness of the problem. Therefore, moving away from using it when describing a road incident makes it much more clear what transpires on the roads every day. 

The United States has a huge problem with crashes, that one occurs every 14 seconds somewhere in the country. Since the majority, approximately 95% to be exact, are the result of driver error, making it clear that “accidents” are very serious and driving is an activity that should not be taken lightly is a crucial step in public awareness. Additionally, since driver misjudgments such as driving while intoxicated, speeding, or distracted driving are the main reason behind accidents, the simple term “accident” misrepresents the actual event. There is nothing about a reckless driver causing a crash that is inadvertent. There are rules of the road for a reason and when a driver intentionally behaves in a way that breaks the rules, a resulting traffic incident isn’t accidental.

Is There Widespread Agreement On Terminology?

Currently, there is no one popular position on the subject of labeling road incidents. In fact, there is a very vocal push back to those that believe we should stop labeling collisions with the word “accident.” The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is concerned that if there is a switch in the language there is the risk that the public would be confused. 

VDOT is not alone on wanting to keep the word “accident” alive and well. Insurance agencies love the word because it makes it much more difficult to impart blame and liability when an incident is deemed to be a stroke of bad luck or an unforeseen event that was not intentional. This means that incidents that occur on the roads were not the result of any action or inaction of drivers. When it becomes blurry to find liability, insurance companies have strong arguments and defenses against paying out due money to victims.

Call ELG If You Have Been In An Arizona Car Accident And Need Legal Representation

In some cases negligence is clear but in many others, it can be difficult to prove. If you have been hit and injured by a negligent and reckless driver you deserve the most compensation possible for your injuries and damages. We only work on personal injury cases which makes us the go-to Arizona automobile accident injury law firm to contact when you need to recover costs you incurred as a result of a crash that was not your fault.

The Arizona serious injury attorneys will aggressively combat the insurance companies on your behalf and we won’t stop fighting for you until we win your case. Contact the Phoenix car accident injury attorneys at ELG to schedule your free consultation by calling (623) 877-3600 today.