Whether you are headed to an intimate night out at Vetri Cucina, taking a stroll to the Liberty Bell, or just trying to drive home after a long day at work, there’s always a danger of a vehicle collision. While it isn’t possible to predict every crash since there are too many variables at play, we can look at the data to find where heavy traffic patterns combined with negligent behavior make accidents more likely.
What You Need to Know to Stay Safe on Pennsylvania Roads
The state collects data on all crashes reported to local and state police and releases yearly updates of crash statistics. Based on 2019 data, here’s what we know:
- Some months are deadlier than others. October and December were the worst in terms of total crashes, possibly due to shifting weather conditions. March and April had the fewest total vehicle collisions.
- Some days of the week see more accidents than others. Most crashes take place on Friday or Wednesday. However, fatalities for crashes spike on the weekends, which may be attributed to alcohol consumption after the workweek is over.
- Where you drive can determine your accident risk. Allegheny County had the highest percentage of overall traffic accidents across the state, followed by Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Lancaster, Lehigh, Delaware, Berks, Chester, and York.
- Philadelphia county typically has the second most crashes in the state. Philadelphia County had more than 11,000 total traffic accidents in 2019, and more than 7,000 of those resulted in a serious injury.
- Life-altering accidents don’t take the holidays off. Most holiday crashes take place on Thanksgiving, but the most holiday fatalities occur on Labor Day.
- Driving during the day doesn’t always protect you. While you might expect more crashes at night due to poor visibility and alcohol usage, 63.2% of all Pennsylvania crashes actually take place during daylight hours.
- Alcohol is a bigger problem than you may realize. Even just a few drinks can impair driving ability, and on average there are 26 alcohol-related crashes every day in the state.
- Walking isn’t always safer than driving. Pedestrians directly struck by cars account for a small portion of total crashes, but they result in 14.5% of all traffic-related fatalities.
- Age is an important factor in pedestrian injuries. People in the 75+ age range walking on streets or sidewalks who were struck by cars had the most fatalities, while teens in the 15 – 19 range had the most non-fatal injuries.
- Economic damages from car crashes are often bigger than you think. The average economic impact from sustaining a serious injury in a car crash was more than $700,000. Some victims will end up with medical bills of a far larger magnitude, depending on the severity of their injuries and the need for ongoing treatment.
Did You Sustain an Injury During a Car Crash in Pennsylvania?
Car crashes are costly, both emotionally and financially. Our Philadelphia car accident attorney wants to help you handle the legal side of your accident and recover damages so you can focus on the physical recovery. If you or a loved one were hurt in a collision, please get in touch so we can find out more about your case.
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