In 2013, and for the first time in the state’s recorded history, the annual number of traffic fatalities in Ohio was under 1,000. The record low is a good sign that multiple public safety agencies are working to protect motorists on our state’s roads, but much more needs to be done.
Last year, 990 people lost their lives in Ohio auto accidents. That number is down from 1,122 in the prior year. While we can gauge the safety of the roads in part by looking at statistics, there is no amount of data that can eliminate the immense grief suffered by a single family that has lost a loved one in a car accident.
The 2013 statistics point to two particularly serious problems in Ohio: drunk driving and not wearing safety belts. According to the 2013 data, about 30 percent of all fatal auto accidents involved drivers who were impaired by alcohol, and 465 vehicle occupants were injured because they did not put on a seat belt. With safety in mind, let’s consider a few more items presented in the annual report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
In Ohio in 2013, a person suffered an injury in an auto accident every 5.2 minutes, and a motor vehicle accident took a person’s life every 8.8 hours. Of all accidents in the state, 4.7 percent involved drunk drivers, and drunk drivers played a part in 30.3 percent of all auto accident fatalities. Most of those impaired drivers — 71.5 percent — were males, and nearly 65 percent of all accidents happened during daylight hours.
Accident victims and their families often don’t know where to turn after a serious collision. The injured party may be unable to work, and high medical bills are common even if the injured person has health insurance. Ohio residents facing such a situation may benefit from the counsel of personal injury attorney.
You can learn more about these matters at our car accident overview.