Why all the Attention on Auto Insurance? It’s the Statistics

In recent editions of The Crow Report, we have emphasized the importance of automobile insurance. Not only for railroaders but for the general public as well. We have done so in order to stress the importance of adequate insurance protection in the event of an accident. With more than 177 million licensed drivers, motor vehicle travel is the primary means of transportation in the United States. It is also the leading cause of death among Americans age 1 to 37. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the total societal cost of accidents exceeds $150 billion annually.

In 1996, 41,907 people were killed and 3.5 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This equates to 115 people killed and 9,619 injured every day in this country.

Alcohol and speeding were the primary causes of injury and death in 1996. While alcohol-related traffic fatalities have declined 29% since 1986, there were 17,126 in 1996 which represented 41% of all traffic fatalities. It has been estimated that 33% of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. Speeding contributed to 30% of all fatal crashes and 740,000 of all injuries.

Do statistics really mean anything? Assuming it took a couple of minutes to read this article, it is safe to estimate that 13 people were injured and 1 was probably killed in an auto accident in this country. On an individual year basis these numbers may not seem substantial. However, when put in the context of the last ten years, with over 429,000 people killed and 32 million injured (12% of the U.S. resident population), they start to become quite significant.

While there is certainly a chance that you or someone you know may never be involved in an accident, statistics would indicate that it could happen. If it does, are you adequately prepared? Over the last 43 years, The Crow Law Firm has handled thousands of automobile personal injury cases. During that time it has been our experience that those people with foresight enough to purchase adequate automobile insurance stood a much better chance of damage recovery.