Auto accidents are a common problem in Ponca City, just like they are all over the country. One of the most common kinds of accidents are rear-end collisions. According to a report from the Washington Post, which included data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), about 1.7 million of these rear-end crashes occur each year throughout the country.
Those annual rear-end collisions result in thousands of deaths and injuries. Perhaps most staggering about these statistics is that 87 percent of them are caused by driver inattention, according to a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Not surprisingly, the NTSB noted that cellphone use was a big contributor to rear-end crashes. Whether a person is talking on their phone while driving or texting and driving, cellphone use diverts the driver's attention from the road. Most drivers understand that taking their eyes off the road for even a second or two can be a fatal mistake. However, millions of drivers still do this on a daily basis.
Because rear-end collisions are so common, the NTSB has recommended that car manufacturers equip every new car with collision avoidance systems. The NTSB believes that these systems could prevent a whopping 80 percent of the injuries and deaths from rear-end collisions.
Of course another simpler way to prevent rear-end car crashes is for drivers to always pay attention to the road. When a driver fails to do this, however, any injured victims can pursue personal injury claims against that driver.
While being a careful driver is the safer and less expensive option, some drivers just cannot get themselves to avoid the dangerous driving habits that lead to rear-end accidents and injuries.
Source: The Washington Post, "There are about 1.7 million rear-end collisions on U.S. roads each year. Here's how to stop them," Ashley Halsey III, June 8, 2015
