While the weather and road conditions could play a role in a car accident, it is no surprise that driver error is a major contributing cause of car accidents in Pennsylvania. In fact, nationwide, the majority of traffic accidents were due in part to driver error.
For example, according to Pennsylvania data from 2013, there were over 33,000 speed-related crashes in the commonwealth, 485 of which were fatal. In addition, over 12,000 crashes occurred in 2013 when a driver made an improper turn. This lead to 60 fatal accidents that year. Illegal or careless passing was also a major cause of accidents in Pennsylvania in 2013, with 4,125 crashes occurring, 55 of which were fatal.
In addition, in 2013, drunk driving caused over 10,000 accidents in Pennsylvania. More than 200 of these accidents resulted in fatalities. Distracted driving is also a danger on Pennsylvania’s roads. Over 14,000 accidents in 2013 were caused by distracted driving, 59 of which resulted in the death of one or more individuals. Drowsy driving also contributed to over 2,400 accidents in Pennsylvania in 2013, eight of which resulted in one or more fatalities. Furthermore, tailgating was a factor in many accidents in Pennsylvania in 2013. That year, over 5,600 tailgating accidents occurred, 14 of which were fatal.
These numbers show that any number of factors could contribute to a car crash. It is important for drivers to pay attention to the road and practice safe driving habits. Doing so could prevent accidents from occurring, and could save lives.
Source: 2013 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics, “Drivers,” Accessed April 13, 2015