You’re constantly driving your kids to and from after-school activities and sports practices — but what if one of those mundane drives quickly turns catastrophic? Nobody wants to get into a motor vehicle accident, and as a parent, there are few things worse than feeling hopeless because you couldn’t protect your kids. Unfortunately, you can’t control how others drive, but you can seek compensation for any injuries sustained in an accident.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), approximately one person dies from a car crash every seven seconds, and an estimated 4.5 million people suffered serious injuries from car accidents in 2018. For every individual who tragically passes away, there are eight others facing injuries.
In Pennsylvania, the number of car accident-related fatalities increased from 2017 to 2018. Car accidents are also more likely to occur between the hours of 4:00 pm and 7:59 pm in October through March. This is around the time you may be driving your kids to their various activities.
Why are car accident injuries and deaths so rampant?
There are a variety of reasons why car accidents occur, including the ones you’ve probably heard of, such as distracted driving, driving under the influence and drowsy driving. However, here are some additional causes of car crashes:
- Health issues: Few people think about how medical conditions affect one’s driving. For example, someone could have a stroke, seizure or heart attack while behind the wheel. Subsequently, this endangers you and others on the road.
- Driving in an unfamiliar place: A person driving where they’ve never driven before may not know the speed limit or might get lost. A confused driver could make irresponsible driving decisions.
- Hitting an animal: Nature doesn’t follow traffic laws. In places with a wildlife presence, a large animal could run across the road, putting you and everyone in your car at risk.
- Severe weather: Weather is a common occurrence and cannot be avoided. When dangerous weather strikes, it’s important for drivers to act cautiously on the roadway. Drivers who don’t proceed with caution could cause a serious accident.
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance: Some people take better care of their property than others, and this particularly applies to cars. Those who don’t keep up with the necessary maintenance, such as changing bald tires and fixing brakes, could be at fault in case of an accident.
When your drive to get the kids turns serious, it’s important to prove who was at fault in the car accident. You may not be able to prevent an accident from occurring, but you can make sure to take care of your children after the crash. For accidents where you’re not at fault, seeking compensation might help cover the costs of any medical bills.
