How Many Car Accidents for the Average Driver? By Zucker & Regev, P.C. on October 14, 2019

It’s an unfortunate fact of life; car accidents are common. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 6 million police reported auto accidents in the United States in 2017.

At Zucker & Regev, P.C. in Brooklyn, NY, we represent clients that have been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident. We understand how car accidents can disrupt your life, and it is our goal to help you obtain compensation to lessen the financial burden.

Here, we discuss car accident statistics, including how many car accidents the average driver gets in over the course of a lifetime, and we provide advice on what to do if you are in a car accident.

How Many Car Accidents in a Lifetime?

According to the car insurance industry, the average driver files an accident claim about every 18 years. According to this number, drivers will be involved in three to four car accidents throughout the course of their lifetime.

How Many Car Accidents Per Day?

According to NHTSA’s Police-Reported Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2017 report, which was just released this month, there were 6,452,000 police-reported auto accidents in the United States in 2017. This results in about 17,677 auto accidents each day.

What Are the Safest and Most Dangerous States for Drivers?

SafeWise, a security company, compiled data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Their ranking of the safest and most dangerous states for drivers is based on the state's total number of roadway deaths per capita.

According to the report, the five safest states for drivers are:

Massachusetts (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .048)
Rhode Island (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .049)
New York (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .052)
New Jersey (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .062)
Washington (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .064)

The five most dangerous states for drivers are:

North Dakota (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .256)
New Mexico (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .203)
Montana (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .186)
Mississippi (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .184)
Wyoming (fatalities per 1,000 drivers: .178)

How Likely Are You to Die in a Car Accident?

According to a National Safety Council report on the odds of dying, the lifetime odds of death caused by a motor vehicle death in the United States in 2017 was one in 103.

What to Do If You Are in a Car Accident

Considering that the average person will be in three to four car accidents in their lifetime, it is important to know what to do in the aftermath. Here, our Brooklyn attorneys discuss what you should do after an accident.

First, call the police and medical responders. Take pictures of the accident scene, and exchange contact information with any drivers, passengers, or witnesses. Seek medical attention so any injuries can be documented and treated. After the accident, contact a personal injury attorney to determine if you should file a claim and pursue compensation.