February 17, 2022 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury
Car accidents are a common occurrence in any city, state, or country. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent a car accident from happening, and that is just one of the downsides to the extremely convenient transportation system we, as humans, have created.
Fortunately, the roads are getting safer. Car manufacturers are doing more to prevent fatalities to drivers when they are operating their vehicles, and drivers are doing more research on finding the safest cars to drive before they make any purchases.
Like every region in every country across the world, the state of Missouri has to deal with the unfortunately common event of car accidents.
With a population of over 6 million people and densely populated cities such as St. Louis, Kansas City, and Columbia, Missourians know all too well the frequent manner in which car accidents can occur.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates people in Missouri drove nearly 80,000,000 miles in 2019 (their most recent data).
With that many miles driven, car accidents are bound to happen on a daily basis.
As car accident attorneys in St. Louis, we have represented our fair share of car accident cases.
We have spent time analyzing our cases along with statistics from both local and national car accident databases.
This article will provide insight into the State of Missouri’s car accident statistics and how you can avoid getting into a car accident yourself.
While there a seemingly infinite number of things that can ultimately cause a car accident, some of the most common factors behind car accidents in Missouri include:
For more information, you can read our article on The Leading Causes of Car Accidents in Missouri.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a decrease from 157,038 total car accidents in 2019 to 131,390 in 2020.
While a decrease is always a positive sign, it is important to keep in mind that the roads saw significantly fewer drivers in 2020 due to the pandemic.
MSHP’s 2020 car accident data for Missouri reported 47,894 people were injured in car accidents.
Poor weather played a role in nearly 21,000 Missouri car accidents with rain being involved in 14,776 while snow, sleet, and hail were involved in another 4,194.
General data relating to car accidents that resulted in serious injuries in Missouri according to Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.
The Missouri Department of Transportation says its preliminary findings estimate that over 2,200 accidents in 2021 in the State of Missouri involved a driver being distracted by a cell phone.
That number is almost certainly higher due to the fact that many are not truthful with authorities about cell phone usage and other distractions after they are involved in a car accident.
The Missouri Department of Transportation reported a 12% increase in traffic fatalities from 2019 – 2020. Unfortunately, that number has only risen in 2021.
Early reporting by MoDot claims over 1,015 people died in car accidents in Missouri in 2021.
MoDot car accident statistics also show that speeding or driving too faster than recommended due to the conditions was at least partially responsible for over 40% of fatal car accidents in Missouri in 2021.
These statistics show numbers relating to deaths caused by car accidents in Missouri according to IIHS.
The counties in Missouri with the most fatal car accidents according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration..
Fatal car accidents involving driving under the influence of alcohol in Missouri based on NHTSA and Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety data.
Below are some additional statistics to keep in mind involving car accidents in Missouri.
While many accidents could be avoided in some way, there are some that simply cannot.
We are constantly preaching safe driving tips and continue to educate ourselves on new driving technology and ways to stay safer on the roads.
In the unfortunate event that you are in a car accident in St. Louis or one of the surrounding areas, we advise you to contact the St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Ortwerth Law.
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