Accidents are more and more frequent on Tennessee roads. Some of these accidents lead to catastrophic or even fatal injuries. In many cases, the accidents are not expected and nothing could have been done to prevent them. However, with that being said, there are many different risk factors that render drivers and passengers vulnerable while they are in a vehicle on the road.
Some of those factors may be obvious and others may not be but all of them are dangerous.
- Age: Teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are the most likely age group to get involved in a motor vehicle accident, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Gender: Statistically, males of every age group are more susceptible to fatal crashes on the road than females. To drill down even further, the most fatal events on the road among males is in the 20 to 24 year old group (according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).
- Socioeconomic status: The World Health Organization reports that people from lower socioeconomic groups are more statistically vulnerable to being involved in motor vehicle accidents than people from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
What are the main causes of fatal motor vehicle accidents?
A large number of fatal accidents on the road are caused by human error and irresponsible driving. However, there are also other causes that contribute to fatalities on the road.
- Driving under the influence: On a daily basis, approximately 32 people in the United States lose their lives because they are under the influence.
- Not using the seatbelt correctly: People in vehicles who are not wearing their seatbelt have a higher probability to die on the road than people who are wearing their seatbelt. According to statistics, less than half of all people on the road either wear their seatbelts incorrectly or not at all.
- Speeding: Driving too fast is a common contributing factor in accidents on the road. According to reports, speed contributed to more than a quarter of motor vehicle fatalities in the last decade.
- Distracted driving: Nowadays, more and more people are driving distracted. With the use of cell phones and other handheld devices, a much greater percentage of drivers are having accidents than in the past.
- Drowsy driving: Driving while not completely awake is extremely dangerous and this type of driving contributed to many accidents.
What do you do it a loved one died in a motor vehicle accident?
If your loved one passed away as a result of another person’s negligence on the road, you may be able to get compensation for the loss of your loved one. If you seek compensation through a lawsuit, the case will be more complicated than if you were suing for a personal injury because your loved one is no longer living. Your lawsuit and the process that you must go through will probably be emotionally difficult and it may become costly as well. However, it may give you some comfort in knowing that you are pursuing justice even though no amount of money can bring your loved one back to you.
Tennessee is a fault state, which means that the driver who caused the accident to happen is responsible for compensating you. No matter how much compensation you are awarded, the money is not the only important thing to consider. You are probably suing for several different reasons, including standing up and protecting your rights and the rights of the person you have lost. No matter what, you deserve satisfaction so that you can move on with your life with some peace of mind.