Common Causes of Traffic Fatalities

Aging Drivers

There are 3.8 million drivers over the age of 65 and fatal crashes increase among aging adults between the ages of 70-74.

On a national scale, about 20 older adults are killed in crashes every day according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Adults over 65 years of age experience changes such as reduced vision, decreased strength, and cognitive impairment. Poor vision and slower reflexes are a dangerous combination for both drivers and passengers.

Distracted Driving

Unfortunately, not everyone operating a vehicle on the road is paying attention as they should. Distractions are at the top of the list of leading causes with alcohol and speeding in fatal crashes. Here are the three factors for distracted driving:

Visual: Not looking at the road
Manual: Not having hands on the steering wheel
Cognitive: Not mentally focused while driving

Across the nation, 3,450 people were killed due to distracted driving. Texting and cell phone use are the top reasons for people being distracted while driving.

Alcohol Impairment

Alcohol-related crashes are one of the leading causes of death for people ages 15 to 24. In 2017, there were 1,120 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in California.

A majority of fatal or severe injury crashes due to alcohol impairment were in southern and central California. Fatal alcohol-impaired accidents have a higher probability of happening in urban areas compared to rural roads.

Drug Impairment

Combined with alcoholic drinks, drugs are a major cause of dangerous driving.

The drugs involved in these drug-impaired accidents include over-the-counter medications, illegal drugs, and prescription drugs.

11% of all drivers killed in car accidents tested positive for the use of drugs in 2017.