Nebraska drivers may have heard that it is much more dangerous to actually get into a vehicle than take a plane flight. According to 2013 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report statistics, there were 1.09 traffic deaths per 100 million miles that were driven, making a person 300 times more likely to die in a car accident than an airplane crash.
In order to make driving safer, driver behavior needs to improve, and vehicle technology needs to as well. Drivers can reduce the risk of becoming involved in a crash if they live closer to where they work and by reducing risky driving behavior when they are in their vehicle. Vehicle technology has been saving lives since seat belts became required in all vehicles in 1968. Since then, vehicle technology has continued to improve and to prevent the loss of lives in crashes. It is believed that if every single vehicle owner had a self-driving car, the fatality rate would be reduced by approximately 50 percent.
Although there are safety improvements out there that could reduce car crash fatalities, including self-driving vehicles, the government has to balance the benefit versus the cost before they can be required. For the self-driving car example, the benefit would be about $1,500 per U.S. household per year while saving 16,000 lives every year.
A person who has been injured in a car accident that was caused by a negligent driver may want to meet with a personal injury attorney to determine how best to obtain compensation for the losses that have been sustained. In cases where the at-fault motorist’s insurance company makes an insufficient offer, it may be advisable to file a lawsuit against the negligent driver seeking damages for medical expenses, lost wages and other amounts.
