Who Causes the Most Car Accidents?

It’s estimated that on any given day, there are about 36,164 car accidents across our nation’s roadways. Of those car accidents, one person dies every thirteen minutes, or 115 deaths daily.

It’s important to understand why these fatal car accidents happen and who will most likely cause them. If you’ve been involved in a car accident and are looking to file car accident injury claims in Miami, the team at Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys can help you recover a fair settlement. Work with a car accident attorney in Miami to learn about your legal rights and options, Miami car accident laws, and more.

What Types of Drivers Are Most Likely To Cause Car Accidents?

There are different types of drivers on our roadways, and certain drivers are at greater risk of being involved in or causing car accidents. 

Drivers can be broken up into different categories, and understanding which category you and others fall into can help you assess your risk and make decisions that can increase your safety on the road. The different types of drivers you may encounter on the roadways include: 

• Speeding drivers
• Intoxicated drivers
• New and inexperienced drivers
• Elderly drivers 
• Aggressive drivers
• Drowsy drivers
• Drivers operating a vehicle in a state different than their home state 

Car accident statistics in Miami consistently point to speeding and intoxicated driving as being some of the leading car accident causes in Miami. 

What Age Group Causes the Most Car Accidents?

The data is clear across the board: Younger drivers are more likely to be involved in a car accident than drivers of any other age. Young drivers are inexperienced because of their age and don’t know how to make quick judgment calls because of their lack of experience. 

Additionally, younger drivers are more likely to speed and engage in distracted driving, which in turn significantly increases the risk of a car accident that can result in serious injury or death. 

This increased risk is one of the leading reasons many victims turn to a Miami car accident attorney when they’ve been involved in an accident with young drivers who violate Florida car accident laws. 

Are Young Drivers More Likely To Cause Car Accidents?

Yes, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), young drivers are at an increased rate, nearly four times higher, of being involved in a fatal car accident as compared to drivers in all other age ranges. 

Younger drivers are more likely to speed, drive distracted, drive under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or other impairments, not wear a seatbelt, and engage in other risky behaviors. 

It’s interesting to note that while younger drivers remain at increased risk of being involved in a fatal car accident, fatality and injury rates have fallen. Over the past twenty years, fatal crashes involving young drivers fell about 38%, though they did increase by 8% among drivers aged 21 and older. 

The GHSA details that this dip in fatality rate is because younger drivers are less likely to drive today as compared to younger drivers two decades ago.  

Are Elderly Drivers More Likely To Cause Car Accidents?

Elderly drivers also face elevated risks of being involved in a car crash that results in serious injury or death. According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car crashes involving elderly drivers were 7,971 in 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a higher fatality rate, with 9,547 elderly deaths in 2022. 

Do Men or Women Cause More Car Accidents?

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that men are more likely to be involved in a car accident than women. However, women are more likely than men to be killed or injured in car accidents of similar severity. 

The data paints a rather clear picture of why this is so. Across different reporting agencies, men are reported to generally engage in high-risk behaviors more than women. Some of these behaviors include: 

• Speeding
• Not using seatbelts
• Distracted driving
• Driving while impaired

Are Experienced Drivers Less Likely To Cause Car Accidents?

Yes and no. Experienced drivers, those who have at least three to five years of experience behind the wheel, are not necessarily less likely to cause a car accident. The National Highways Traffic Safety Administration reports that drivers 20 and under accounted for 5.1% of licensed drivers in the United States. Still, they made up 8.5% of all drivers in all fatal crashes and 12.6% of drivers in all crashes.  

While many drivers who are 20 years old can be considered “experienced,” it’s clear that drivers with more years of experience are much safer on roadways and less likely to cause car accidents. 

How Does Distracted Driving Contribute to Car Accidents?

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its summary of statistical findings for distracted driving in 2022, and the results are consistent with years past. 

In 2022, there were a total of 42,514 traffic accident fatalities because of distracted driving. Unsurprisingly, younger drivers ranked among the highest age groups where distracted driving fatalities occurred. 

How Do Cell Phones Impact the Likelihood of Causing Car Accidents?

Cell phone usage while driving falls under the umbrella of distracted driving. When a driver is on the phone, even for a couple of seconds, their attention is not on the road, which can lead to a car accident. According to the National Safety Council, the percentage of fatalities because of distracted drivers who used cell phones was higher amongst younger age groups. The following age groups and their accompanying percentages are as follows: 

• 15 to 20: 11% 
• 21 to 24: 12% 
• 25 to 34: 28%
• 35 to 44: 18%
• 45 to 54: 15%
• 55 to 64: 11% 
• 65 to 74: 3% 
• 75 and over: 2% 

Does Speeding Lead to More Car Accidents?

In the traditional sense of speeding, drivers who travel at a faster rate than the posted speed limit are more likely to be involved in a car accident. 

According to the latest data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, over 29% of all car crash fatalities resulted from speeding. When drivers speed, they have less of a reaction time, increasing their risk of severe injury or even death.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident because of speeding, speak with a Miami car accident attorney to understand whether or not you can sue for negligence in a car accident case.

What Role Does Drunk Driving Play in Causing Car Accidents?

Drunk driving and other forms of impaired driving are also leading contributors to car accidents across our nation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2022, 13,524 people died in car accidents that involved drunk or impaired drivers. That is roughly 37 deaths every day in the U.S. because of drunk or impaired driving.  

If you’ve been involved in a car accident with an impaired driver, speak with a Miami drunk driving accident attorney to explore your legal rights and options. 

How Does Weather Affect Who Causes Car Accidents?

Weather can also play a significant role in causing car accidents. The Department of Transportation reports that approximately 21% of annual car crashes are weather-related. 

Data over a ten-year period between 2007 and 2016 highlights the following weather conditions contributed to the following percentages of all car crashes that occurred because of weather:

• Wet pavement: 15% of vehicle crashes
• Rain: 10% of vehicle crashes
• Snow and sleet: 4% of vehicle crashes
• Icy pavement: 3% of vehicle crashes
• Fog: 1% of crashes

What Role Does Fatigue Play in Causing Car Accidents?

Fatigue and drowsy driving are other contributing factors to car crashes, but not to the extent that speed, distracted driving, and drunk driving are. The National Safety Council details that a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety records that an estimated 328,000 drivers were involved in car crashes yearly because they were tired. 

Another study from the National Sleep Foundation found that one in 25 drivers reported being asleep while behind the wheel, and many others shared that they were sleep-deprived while driving. 

Turn to the Team at Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys

There are a number of contributing factors involved in car crashes across the U.S., many of which fall under the umbrella of negligence. If you have been the victim of a car accident and suffered a severe injury as a result, it’s important to understand your rights and options. 
At the law offices of Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys, we will fight for your legal rights and help you explore your options after a car accident. Contact our team today to schedule your free case evaluation and get the legal representation you deserve. Work with an attorney who will win your car accident lawsuit.

Sources:

Distracted Driving in 2022. (2022).  

Drivers are Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel. (2024).  

Drunk Driving. (2024). 

Elderly Drivers. (2022). 

Fatality Facts 2022 Males and Females. (2022).

Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). (2021). 

How Do Weather Events Impact Roads? (2024). 

National Sleep Foundation. (2022).

Speed. (2024).  

Young Drivers. (2022).