Few things are more tragic than fatal car accidents.
Otherwise-healthy people suddenly lose their lives because someone makes a mistake behind the wheel and surviving family members are forced to attempt to pick up the pieces and move on with their lives without their loved one. This is the greatest form of loss – the loss of life. People all over the world have been studying fatal car accidents for decades with the hope of identifying trends such that corrective steps could be taken to bring these numbers down.
In general, this work has paid off, as the number of deaths due to car accidents has been steadily dropping across the globe. That holds true in Alaska as well, as the past decade has seen a downturn in roadside fatalities. While this is obviously good news, there is still much work to be done. With that in mind, it’s useful for the public to understand the types of crashes that occur in Alaska that cause the highest number of fatalities. Below is a breakdown of the top 5 causes of fatal car accidents in Alaska.
- Ran off Road – 23.7 Percent of All Fatal Crashes
Anyone who drives in Alaska understands that visibility can be difficult if not impossible at certain times of the year, leading to a high risk that any vehicle will run off the road. When this happens, vehicles often flip over or run into a fixed object such as a tree. - Crashes with Pedestrians and Bicycles – 20.3 Percent of All Fatal Crashes
Studies have been done in the past that have concluded that motorists generally are used to seeing and reacting to other vehicles on the road, but that they also have trouble spotting smaller things such as bicycles or people walking. Bicyclists and pedestrians are obviously at a disadvantage in crashes with motor vehicles. - Angle or Sideswipe Crashes – 13.6 Percent of All Fatal Crashes
Angle or sideswipe crashes often occur at intersections when people are either attempting to turn or someone needs to yield the right-of-way to someone else and fails to do so. These crashes can directly impact the occupant of a vehicle. - Head-On Crashes – 10.2 Percent of All Fatal Crashes
Few things are more violent than head-on car accidents. Engines collide directly and they are pushed into the passenger compartments of the vehicles involved. Many of these crashes also occur at a high rate of speed. - Crossing a Median – 6.8 Percent of All Fatal Crashes
When someone loses control of a vehicle and crosses a median or a center divide, it is nothing short of shocking for other motorists. No one expects this to happen and there is often little or no time to react to such a circumstance.
Car accidents come down to mistakes, and some of these mistakes lead to fatal consequences. We hope that everyone exercises caution while behind the wheel at all times. If you have lost someone you love in a crash, contact the Alaska wrongful death lawyers at Barber and Associates, LLC today to schedule a free initial consultation.