Motor vehicles make it much easier for us to get from one place to the next. Unfortunately, traveling on America’s roadways comes with its fair share of risks. The Insurance Institute for Highway summed up the car accident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System and found that tens of thousands of people are killed in car accidents all across the country every year. Reports show that over 32,000 people in the United States died in car crashes in 2013.
Statistics indicate that in 2013, there were 431 Colorado crashes resulting in the deaths of 481 people. That means that in 2013, for every 100,000 people, 9.1 people died in the state. This number is just under the national motor vehicle crash death rate of 10.3 deaths per 100,000.
In 2013, about 34 percent of motor vehicle crash fatalities in Colorado involved people in pickup trucks and SUVs while 31 percent involved people in cars. While a majority of these crashes were single-vehicle, 43 percent of them were multi-car accidents. Many of these accidents were caused by drunk drivers and failure to use a seatbelt. As a result, many fatal wrecks in Colorado are avoidable and caused by negligence rather than chance.
Accidents, especially those caused by negligence or recklessness, can have a traumatic effect on the lives of victims and their families. Fortunately, there is a way for victims to get compensated for their injuries. By filing a personal injury claim against those responsible for an accident, victims may be able to acquire damages from them. These damages can cover various accident-related expenses as well as pain and suffering and lost wages. Damages can help victims of these calamities move forward from painful and preventable incidents.