Category: Blog

If there’s one positive thing about the pandemic, it’s the people’s renewed interest in life insurance. It’s no secret that the number of insured individuals has been on a slow downward spiral. Shortly after the pandemic hit, people’s restored interest in life insurance quickly translated to multiple Google searches and appointments to insurers.

Life insurance statistics revealed that, during the first half of 2020, life insurance applications rose by 1.5%. People desperately wanted a means of protecting their families from financial fallout in case of the worst outcomes. So, they turned to life insurance.

If you want to know what the recent studies suggest or what financial planners think about the state of life insurance, please read on.

General Life Insurance Facts

1. The US was the leading life insurance premium writing country in 2020.

(Statista)

Its total value of life direct premiums written surpassed $630 billion. Moreover, the second place for largest life insurance markets took China. The largest insurer worldwide is Berkshire Hathaway. 

2. In 2020, 747 life insurance companies operated in the US.

(Statista)

Most recent US life insurance market statistics reveal that the number of life insurance companies has decreased since 2001. 

No one knows exactly what factors make life insurance lose its appeal. Some people trace it back to the increase in life expectancy that clearly influences people’s decision to get insured. As the estimated lifespan extends and is now closer to 100 years, more people think they don’t need life insurance anymore.

3. 16% of Americans say they need insurance but don’t have it.

(LIMRA)

Several studies have been conducted to determine the accurate statistics of people with no life insurance. One of LIMRA’s studies found that 41 million US residents were uninsured, although many said they needed life insurance. The perceived cost of insurance and joblessness are the two main reasons that prevent millions of Americans from buying life insurance.

4. In 2020, the number of nonelderly uninsured people reached 27.4 million.

(KFF)

Nonelderly adults accounted for over 84% of the nonelderly uninsured. Moreover, around 62% of the uninsured people were people of color, and most of the uninsured (40.1%) were Hispanic.

In addition, the uninsured rate among nonelderly adults who work less than full-time full-year grew to around 16%. 

5. The market penetration for life insurance is 54%.

(BestLifeRates)

The life insurance industry remains stable, with a 54% market penetration rate, as confirmed in several US life insurance industry statistics. Although the ownership gap rate increased to 16%, it’s still relatively low compared to other lines of insurance.

Life Insurance Purchases Statistics

6. The life insurance purchases amounted to $357 billion in California.

(Statista)

Most recent life insurance statistics by state reveal that the greatest number of life insurance policies was sold in the Golden State. Texas came second with life insurance purchases worth close to $276 billion, followed by New York, Florida, and Illinois. Alaska was at the bottom, with purchases worth only $7.36 billion. 

7. In the last decade, the percent of online life insurance purchases almost doubled, from 17% to 29%.

(LIMRA)

In 2011, 64% of Americans preferred to meet with a consultant before buying an insurance plan. In 2020, only 41% felt that way. Insurers have automated underwriting practices to simplify the process of buying insurance. This kind of convenience has compelled more people to go online for insurance.

The latest US life insurance statistics uncover that the rate of people who purchase insurance online has doubled. During the lockdown months, the rate of online insurance applicants increased by 1.5%.

8. Most recent info shows that the value of policy purchases reached approximately 27.8 million in the US.

(Statista)

Life insurance statistics in the United States showed that homeowners, business owners, and parents were most likely to buy a life insurance policy. They purchase insurance plans for various reasons. In general, they want to cover debts or provide financial support to their families in case of their untimely death.

9. Life insurance market statistics reveal that the total share of direct written premiums reached more than $174 billion.

(BestLifeRates)

If you want to get insured, one of the most important decisions you have to make is to choose an insurance company. By researching the market data share, you’ll know how well a company has been doing over the years.

The recent life insurance industry statistics showed that the total market penetration rate is 54%. The top five insurance companies that displayed the best marketability were Northwestern Mutual, New York Life, Metropolitan, Lincoln National, and Prudential Life. The sum of these five companies’ market shares took up almost 30% of the entire written premiums.

Life Insurance Facts on Ownership and Cost

10. In just ten years, life insurance ownership has dropped by nine percentage points to 54%.

(LIMRA)

LIMRA life insurance statistics 2020 briefly illustrate the decline in insurance ownership over the past decade. According to researchers, the nine points dip is caused by the large decrease in employer-paid group life insurance benefits.

11. The latest life insurance data recorded only 54% of insured Americans.

(Statista)

People with risky jobs need life insurance for two primary reasons — as a replacement income and to cover burial and final expenses in case of their death.

Again, the most usual reason for not getting any coverage is the high cost. However, some insurance companies nowadays offer flexible and affordable term insurance policies so that everyone can get insured.

12. Four in ten people who have life insurance regret not purchasing policies when they were younger.

(Life Happens)

Even though it’s better to get a life insurance policy at a younger age, life insurance facts reveal that many people don’t. The primary reason for that is the perception of the policies’ cost. 

Some of the other reasons people don’t own life insurance are having other financial priorities, not feeling they need any, or not knowing how much/what type to buy. 

13. In 2020, 36% of Americans said they intended to invest in life insurance in the next 12 months.

(LIMRA)

The declining rate of employer-sponsored life insurance didn’t stop Americans from getting coverage. Interesting life insurance facts 2020 show that 36% of them intended to buy life insurance coverage in the next 12 months.

Researchers believe that COVID-19 has shown there is a need for life insurance. While the purchase intent is at an all-time high, researchers say that only a fraction of Americans actually follows through with buying life insurance.

14. 29% of baby boomers, 32% of Gen Xers, and 28% of millennials prefer researching and buying insurance policies online.

(No Exam)

An interesting fact about life insurance ownership by age is that many baby boomers currently between 56–74 years old buy insurance policies online. Previously, boomers would prefer a face-to-face meeting with an agent, but now, their buying preferences have changed.

One of the emerging life insurance trends is purchasing insurance plans over the web, regardless of age. During the quarantine months, the number of people sending online applications for life insurance has increased.

15. 41% of Americans prefer to meet with an advisor and buy insurance in person.

(BestLifeRates)

According to life insurance sales statistics, Americans have different preferences for purchasing insurance policies. The majority (41%) like to meet an advisor in person, and 29% buy a policy over the phone. About 11% of consumers get insured through their employers, and 8% are open to purchasing insurance plans via email.

16. Besides the breadwinner, 80% of Americans believe that other family members should get insured as well.

(AIG)

If a primary earner in a family passes away under some unfortunate circumstances, the family will go through a financial tragedy. That’s why it’s essential to have more than one insurance policy.

Life insurance stats confirm that people often feel they don’t have enough insurance. The solution to this is to add more policies. Financial planners advise policyholders to review existing plans and upgrade them when needed.

17. 73.7% of uninsured individuals blame high costs for not having any insurance.

(KFF)

Several statistics about life insurance mention that the cost stops people from buying a policy. Many people think that insurance is costly, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Apart from expensive ones, you can also find various affordable insurance plans that fit your budget.

18. More than 50% of Americans overestimate the cost of a term life insurance plan at more than three times its actual price.

(LIMRA)

Individual life insurance statistics show that the perceived cost of insurance plans stops people from getting the coverage they need. More than half of Americans assume that term insurance policies are expensive, but they couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, the actual price of insurance is only a third of what most Americans estimate it to be. This is why asking an agent for assistance is helpful. You can get advice on which plan works well for your budget.

19. 92% of Americans don’t realize the full range of benefits permanent life insurance can provide them.

(AIG)

The AIG study shows that only 25% of the respondents understand that permanent life insurance is another option to save for the future. Meanwhile, 21% know that they can withdraw from the cash value. A mere 17% understand that they can use permanent life insurance as tax-deferred supplemental retirement income.

Most policyholders don’t care about understanding the array of benefits that their plans bring. What’s more important to them is that they have insurance, and they’re covered with a specific sum in case of death. As a policyholder, it’s your responsibility to know the benefits of your insurance policies.

20. In 2019, 47% of Americans favored simplified underwriting over traditional underwriting.

(LIMRA)

LIMRA life insurance statistics from 2019 cited that nearly half of American consumers found simplified underwriting more convenient than traditional underwriting that included a very elaborate process.

When people buy something, they want a comfortable and easy buying experience and not the opposite. This applies to buying insurance as well.

Worldwide Life Insurance Statistics

21. Global life insurance premiums are projected to grow by almost 4% in 2022.

(Deloitte Insights)

In the US, the insurance industry’s net premiums reach $1 trillion every year. Globally, the life insurance premiums sale dropped by 6% in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, this fall appears to be temporary. 

Life insurance statistics around the world have projected that the total life insurance written premiums will have a 3.9% growth in 2022.

22. Most recent info suggests that Momentum recorded an increase of 30% in claims.

(Moonstone)

Life insurance claims statistics reported a 30% increase in claims from Momentum, one of the leading insurance companies in South Africa by brand. It was also found that the top three causes of death claims in South Africa were cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and unnatural deaths, like accidents and suicides.

What’s more disturbing is the 65% increase in suicide claims, where 88% of victims were male. The escalating number of critical illnesses and murders is considered the primary driver of the rise in paid benefits within the country.

23. Most recent life insurance claim statistics reveal that the average time for a claim to be accepted in Australia is 1.7 months.

(Insurance Watch)

The time needed to process a claim differs depending on the insurance company and country. In Australia, the industry average acceptance rate for insurance claims is 1.7 months. Insurers need to review the papers before the company releases the payout.

24. The last accessible data shows that the average payout on a life insurance policy in the UK is $105,129.

(Drewberry)

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) publishes the figures for life insurance claims every year. According to their latest data, 97.4% of all filed claims have been paid, amounting to more than $3.93 billion. On average, insurers pay $105,129 for each filed claim.

25. Life insurance premiums in China are projected to increase by 9.3% per year until 2028.

(SwissRe)

The life insurance industry in China is steadily growing. An increase in demand leads to a continuous need for coverage. Furthermore, insurance sales agents also expand to online channels to attract more people and sell more insurance policies.

Conclusion

Life insurance statistics reveal a problem regarding purchasing life insurance during the pandemic. According to financial planners, the fear of COVID-19 shouldn’t be the determining factor for buying life insurance. Nevertheless, the pandemic has taught us a lot of valuable lessons, and one of those is the importance of investing in a life insurance policy.

Paying less than a hundred dollars to have a financial fallback plan won’t hurt your budget. Something similar or worse than the pandemic may happen in the future. Thus, saving for an inevitable rainy day is a smart move. Hopefully, these life insurance facts and statistics will motivate you to include an insurance policy in your long-term financial plan.

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If you’re a website owner, our website load time statistics will make you place the page speed as your top priority! That’s because today you will learn how page speed affects:

• Customer engagement
• Conversion rates
• Bounce time
• Google search ranking
• Your revenue

Furthermore, we’ll go over the basics about the page load time as well as the averages for different types of web pages.

As a result, you’ll know whether you should work on the average page load time for your website to achieve the highest possible engagement!

Page Speed Insights

Here are some essential insights on page speed as well as the recommended load time for websites. You will also learn the importance of working on your websites’ speed and how visitors respond to it.

1. Customer engagement can increase with just 0.1 second site speed improvement.

(Think with Google)

An eBay case study shown in the popular “Milliseconds Make Millions” study analyzed the correlation between site speed and customer engagement. They concluded that just a slight improvement in the website loading speed leads to an 0.5% increase in the Add to Cart count. That’s a result of faster load time which makes customers view more pages and transact more.

2. Websites that perform faster on mobile devices bring 75% more revenue.

(Huckabuy)

Compared to the slow-performing websites, the faster websites bring 327% more revenue on mobile phones. When it comes to desktops, fast rendering sites gain 212% more revenue.

3. Google recommended page load time is under 2 seconds.

(Blue Corona, YouTube)

Ideally, the page load time should be anywhere between 1 and 3 seconds. However, Google aims at half a second. John Mueller, a Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google, claims that website speed is definitely a ranking factor in Google search.

4. Web pages that loaded in 2.4 seconds had a conversion rate of 1.9%.

(Huckabuy)

The conversion rate refers to the number of visitors divided by the number of actual sales. We are giving you data from research on website load time statistics that have shown faster pages leading to a higher conversion rate. In case the website needs 3.3 seconds to load, the conversion rate is 0.4% lower.

5. Websites with 5.7+ seconds of load time have a conversion rate of only 0.6%.

(Huckabuy)

At 4.2 seconds, the conversion rate is 0.4% higher. Moreover, websites with 3.3 seconds of load time have a rate of 1.5%.

The Average Page Load Time 2019

If you want to know whether the marketers worked on the page load time in recent years, we need to compare the numbers from 2019 and 2020. So, in this section, you will get the info on the website load time from previous years.

6. The average page load time in 2019 was 15 seconds.

(Unbounce)

A few years ago, 34% of websites had a load time of 11 to 20 seconds. In around 46% of sites, users had to wait for 6 to 10 seconds for a page to load fully. In addition, website speed statistics show that about 13% of websites had a 4 to 5 seconds load time.

7. In 2019, 57% of people would consider leaving a page that takes longer to load.

(Unbounce)

More than half of internet users will contemplate leaving a particular page if it takes them more than 3 seconds to see it. That leads to the conclusion that increasing the website speed can increase traffic.

8. Around 37% of users leave a page that takes more than 5 seconds to load.

(Unbounce)

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the top-ranking websites on Google had the shortest time it takes for the page to load. It sat on less than 3 seconds in 2019.

9. 70% of visitors claim that page speed affects their willingness to buy.

(Unbounce)

That is why Google urges site owners to work on their page speed. However, the Unbounce research uncovered that the majority of marketers don’t believe that website speed is a priority.

10. About 30% of phone users would wait 4 to 6 seconds before closing a page.

(Neil Patel)

Another research from 2019 shows that only 16% of mobile users would wait from 11 to 15 seconds for a page to load fully. That’s concerning as the average page loading time is much higher – around 20 seconds. However, on the upside, only 3% would be willing to wait less than 1 second before closing a website.

11. Around 30% of Android users are more patient than IOS owners when it comes to website speed.

(Unbounce)

Around 64% of Android and 36% of IOS users would wait up to 3 seconds for a page to load. What’s more, 61% of Android owners were willing to wait up to 13 seconds. However, the number sat at only 36% for IOS users.

12. Website load speed for the healthcare industry was around 5.4 seconds.

(Blue Corona)

The Healthcare industry had the fastest website page loading time in 2019. With 5.5 seconds, media and entertainment came right after healthcare. The finance industry also had a quicker load time—5.9 seconds.

13. The technology industry’s average page load was around 6.3 seconds in 2019.

(Blue Corona)

Out of all industries examined by Unbounce, technology had the worst load time. For example, the automotive and retail industries’ load time was 6.3 seconds, while travel sat at 6 seconds.

Website Speed Statistics 2020

Let’s take a look at some newer speed statistics. You’ll find out the average load time for 2020 on various devices and how that waiting time affects visitors’ engagement level.

14. If page load time goes from 1 to 5 seconds, the probability of bounce increases by 90%.

(Think with Google)

In case users have to wait up to 3 seconds for your page to load, the possibility of them bouncing is around 32%. Furthermore, if websites take a long time to load, as long as up to 10 seconds, that results in a 123% higher chance of a bounce.

15. Sites that take longer than 8.7 seconds to load on a desktop are among the worst-performing websites.

(Littledata)

Unlike them, the best 20% of websites need less than 3 seconds to load fully. So if your site takes less than 2.4 seconds, you are in the top 10%.

16. The average time for the desktop page to load in 2020 was 4.5 seconds.

(Littledata)

According to the statistics presented in this article, one can realize that the average page load time benchmark is not ideal. On the other hand, mobile pages need around 5 seconds to load fully. 

17. 10% of websites take only 2.7 seconds to load on mobile devices.

(Littledata)

Furthermore, less than 3.4 seconds wait time is also great. Users wait only 3 seconds for their page on 20% of sites. For mobile devices, anything longer than 7.4 seconds is considered unsatisfactory performance. About 20% of websites have a problem with this kind of wait time.

Web Page Load Times Standards, Acceptable Speed for Achieving the Best Engagement 

We already mentioned the correlation between the website speed and the visitors’ engagement. So, in this section, you will read about the ideal load time for desktop and mobile devices. In addition, you will find out whether there should be any difference between the speed of regular and ecommerce websites.

18. The desktop page load time should be under 3 seconds.

(Sprout24)

Experts agreed that to boost engagement, the page load time should be 3 seconds or less, according to website load time statistics. Moreover, the server response time shouldn’t be over 2 seconds. Ideally, the domain lookup time is supposed to be from 0.15 to 1 second.

19. The mobile page load time should be under 5 seconds.

(Sprout24)

Based on the statistics shown above, we know that mobile phones are a bit slower than desktops. That is why the standards for their speed are lower.

20. The load time of ecommerce websites should be lower than 2 seconds.

(Semrush, Portent) 

In the first 5 seconds, the page load time abandonment rate increases by an average of 4.4% for every second of delay. Furthermore, in the first 9 seconds, the rates follow an average of 2.1% with each second potential customers have to wait. A conversion rate follows the abandonment rate. As the main purpose of this kind of website is selling goods or services, you must keep conversion rates as high as possible.

Website Speed Statistics, the Bottom Line

There you have it—all the info you need to comprehend the importance of website load time for your business! Besides the newer stats, we gathered the ones from 2019 and 2020 to give you the full picture. Moreover, we incorporated the page speed standards that you should aim for while you’re working on speeding up your website.

In case you deem your site as too slow, you shouldn’t worry. You have various options online for speeding up your pages, such as compression, reducing redirects, improving server response time, optimizing images, and so on. Good luck!

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Seat belt statistics clearly show that wearing a seat belt saves lives. Luckily, the rate of seat belt usage grew in the last 15 years. A rough estimate is that 17,452 people died from not buckling up, and if they had, most of them would’ve lived. 

These are just some numbers that point to the importance of seat belts and many other statistics that show how important it is to use them. 

If you’re a driver who ignores the seat belt, read these facts and stats below. They can literally save your life, even while you’re using Uber or Lyft. 

Seat Belt Facts

Seat belts were primarily used by pilots in gliders, but people quickly realized how essential they could be to saving lives. Those who patented them actually went so far that they gave them to the world for free. 

1. The first form of seat belt was invented back in the 1800s

(Americanfivestartransmission)

These seat belts were far from what people use today in their cars. George Cayley was the first man to consider making pilots safe in their gliders by introducing some type of seat belt. However, in 1855, Edward J. Claghorn patented his kind. Those were used in New York cabs to keep passengers safe. But, according to the seat belt article, they weren’t widely used until the US emergency physicians started testing out their efficacy in the 1930s. 

2. The first iteration of the three-point seat belt took place in 1955

(Gomechanic)

In 1955, two Americans, Roger W Griswold and Hugh DeHaven had the idea to create the three-point seat belt, which reminds us of the seat belt we know today that can protect the torso. 

3. Seat belt that we know today was introduced in 1959

(Americanfivestartransmission)

1959 was the year when Swedish inventor Nils Bohlin improved the existing design of the three-point seat belt. Today, this invention is in every car and, if used properly, can save lives. Another thing Nils did was to give the seat belt to the world for free. Even though he could have earned millions, he realized the importance of seatbelts and decided that lives are more important than money.

4. Seat belts became mandatory in America in 1966

(Americanfivestartransmission Gomechanic)

American car manufacturers offered seat belts as an accessory until 1966. They could be purchased in gas stations. Australia was also among the first countries to make seat belts compulsory in 1970. Other countries followed suit. Still, people weren’t obligated to wear them, according to seat belts facts.

5. New York required people to wear a seat belt in 1984

(Americanfivestartransmission)

It took a lot of time for drivers to realize the importance of seat belts. New York was the first state to require passengers to use them in 1984. By 1995, every state besides New Hampshire had the “Click It or Ticket” laws. 

6. The rate of seat belt usage grew from 81.7% to 90.7% in the last 15 years

(NCSL)

It’s estimated that 90.7% of US adult front-seat passengers used a seat belt in 2019. This represents a slight increase in seat belt use. There’s also a slight difference in seat belt use among rural and urban areas. 90.8% of urban passengers used seat belts compared to 90.4% of rural vehicle occupants, according to seat belts statistics.

7. FMVSS 209 outlines the testing requirements for seat belts

(Gwrco)

Federal motor vehicle safety standard was the first standard to become effective on March 1, 1967, which specified the seat belt testing requirements and more. In 1973, NHTSA made amendments to the FMVSS 209 and issued a regulation for occupant crash protection. A crash test became one of the requirements. 

To briefly answer how seat belts are tested—the dummy is strapped in the car that’s moving, only to hit an obstacle. This tests out how the vehicle and the passengers would react upon collision. 

8. Car crashes are a leading cause of death for people younger than 25

(NCSL)

Around 37,000 Americans die in car crashes each year, and these accidents are a leading cause of death for those younger than 25. 

9. All 50 States and the District of Columbia have some form of child safety law regarding seat belts

(NCSL)

NHTSA recommends that state child passenger laws include kids up to 16 years of age and cover all seating positions. In 2019, 15 states strengthened child safety laws when it comes to height, weight, and age. 

10. Georgia has the highest seat belt usage of 97.10% 

(I-lawsuit)

According to the most recent data and seat belts safety facts, Georgia has the highest seat belt usage rate of 97.0%. Hawaii has the second-highest rate of 96.90%, and Oregon is the third with 96.80%. 

11. People have about 15 reasons why they don’t use a seat belt

(Zerodeathsmd)

Some claim to be in a hurry, others forget, and many say they were driving a short distance. In addition, passengers complain that seat belts are uncomfortable, or that they have a medical condition. Other arguments against seat belts include the need to exit the vehicle quickly or the fear of being stuck in an accident. Good reflexes, bigger vehicles, and airbags are also poor excuses for not using a seat belt while driving. 

12. New Hampshire has the lowest seat belt usage rate of 67.60%

(I-lawsuit)

Massachusetts and South Dakota are right after New Hampshire, with 73.70% and 74.80%, respectively. 

How Effective Are Seat Belts?

Many doubt the effectiveness of seat belts, but the sentiment is changing for the better. The data show seat belts reduce the risk of severe injuries by 50% and cut the risk of death by 45% for front-seat occupants. 

13. Motor vehicles are the leading cause of death for children aged two to 14

(NCSL)

When it comes to children, 14 years and younger, over 1,000 die in motor vehicle accidents each year. Over one-third of the children who died were unrestrained. NHTSA is continuously researching how many lives are saved by seat belts each year. According to its studies, when a seat belt is used properly on a child, it can reduce fatal injuries for over 70% in infants and 54% in toddlers. 

14. 17,452 people died because not wearing a seatbelt 

(Thezebra)

The last available data show that out of 37,133 people who died in car accidents, 17,452 didn’t wear a seat belt. This is a mortality rate of about 47%, and seat belt statistics point out how serious people should be about using it. 

15. Seat belt can minimize moderate to critical injuries by 50%

(NHTSA)

Not only does wearing a seatbelt prevent vehicle occupants from flying out of a car, but it also prevents moderate to critical injuries by 50%. To be effective, passengers must use it properly, not just place the upper strap under the arm or have children who are not tall enough use it on their own. 

Seat Belt Safety Stats

Nobody wants to risk being ejected from a car in an accident. This is why seat belts are mandatory, and drivers or passengers shouldn’t have an excuse not to use them. This is especially important for teens since 50% died because they didn’t buckle up. 

16. Passengers who don’t buckle up are 30x more likely to be ejected from a vehicle

(Teendriversource)

Based on the seat belt safety statistics, those who don’t use it while in the moving vehicle have 30x more chances to be ejected upon collision. More than three out of four people who are ejected die from injuries. 

17. In 2019, 46% of motor vehicle crash victims aged 15–20 didn’t wear a seatbelt in the US, as per seat belt death statistics.

(Teen Driver Source)

That year, around 1,603 young people between the ages of 15 and 20 died in such crashes in the United States. Moreover, four in ten high school students in the US reported not always using a seatbealt in the last 30 days in 2019. 

18. Almost 2,500 teens in the US were killed on roads

(CDC)

2,500 teens aged 13 to 19 died on roads across the US. In addition, about 285,000 were treated in the ER for injuries in car crashes. This means that at least seven teenagers die each day, and several hundred suffer injuries. Teens aged 16 to 19 are also at the highest risk of a car crash than any other age group, based on the last available seat belt crash statistics. 

19. Male drivers aged 16-19 have a 2x higher death rate than female drivers

(CDC)

Male teenage drivers seem to participate in more car accidents and have a higher death rate than their female peers. Driving with other teens also increases the risk of a car crash. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are also the days when more than 50% of accidents happened, the latest available seat belt death statistics show. 

20. Parents should provide 50 to 60 hours of driving with supervision

(CDC)

Car crashes are preventable, and parents have a huge role in teaching their children how to behave on the road. According to traffic experts, parents should provide about 50 hours of supervised driving practice. In addition, they should take their teen across a variety of roads and discuss and teach them about potential hazards. 

If a child asks why it is important to wear a seatbelt, parents should be ready to answer with facts and numbers to teach their teens how important seat belts are. 

21. Cumulative lives saved by seat belts are 374,276

(Injuryfacts)

This is the total number of all lives saved from 1975 until today. The trend of seat belt use is increasing, while the trend of unrestrained victims of traffic accidents is decreasing. This shows that more vehicle occupants are aware of the statistics about seat belt safety and the importance of wearing one. 

22. Seat belt failure causes injuries in 3 million US residents each year

(Peakefowler)

Even though seat belts are installed for protection, sometimes they can fail. About 3 million Americans suffer injuries because of a faulty seat belt. Unfortunately, 40,000 vehicle occupants die as well. Seat belt failure is the primary factor contributing to severe injuries, according to the latest data about car crashes without seatbelts. 

23. General Motors recalls almost 840,000 vehicles in the US because of a suspension and seat belt problem

(News4jax)

GM stated the seat belt brackets weren’t secured to the seat frame. This could’ve caused severe injuries, failing to restrain people in car accidents. In addition, the seat belt recall included Chevrolets and GMCs, while pickups with bucket seats weren’t affected, according to the seat belt failure statistics.

24. November 14 is the National Seat Belt Day

(Wtov9)

National Seat Belt Day is used to promote seat belt usage. It’s a great way to teach vehicle passengers about the importance of using seat belts. Even though most drivers and passengers realize why it’s important to buckle up, some refuse to do so. It’s a fact that a seat belt saves lives, and statistics clearly show that most of the sustained injuries in a car crash wouldn’t have happened if passengers had worn a seatbelt.

25. 28% of people who use rideshare vehicles admitted not using seat belts 

(Thenewswheel)

According to the latest survey done on 1,000 Americans, 28% admitted that they don’t buckle up while riding in Uber or Lyft. However, nine out of 10 US residents use a seat belt in their own car, seat belt usage statistics show. This makes rideshare less safe than advertised. 

26. Rideshares might be responsible for 3% increase in fatal traffic accidents

(Thenewswheel Chicagoboot)

The fact that many Americans believe that the backseat of their Uber is so safe they don’t need a seat belt caused a 3% increase of fatal car accidents with rideshares. Before rideshares became accessible, the trend was going downwards. However, there was a break in the downward trend in 2010, right around the time when rideshares appeared. 

Seat belt deaths statistics point out that the 3% increase in auto deaths meant 987 lives lost each year across various age groups. The rideshare fatalities also cost more than $9 billion. Passengers aged 45 to 54 and those aged 18 to 24 were least likely to buckle up. The safest age groups were people aged 25 to 34 and 35 to 44. 

27. Fines for no seat belt range from $10 to over $162

(Cashcarsbuyer Etags)

According to seat belt use statistics, some drivers still don’t use their seat belts even with Click It or Ticket enforcement. If they’re caught, there’s no doubt they’ll have to pay a fine, which may also affect their insurance. However, each state is different, and so are the costs of the fines. In Wisconsin, for front and rear seats, the fine is $10, but in California, it goes up to $162. 

Seat Belt Injury Statistics

One of the common excuses drivers use when they don’t buckle up is the belief that seat belts will prevent them from leaving a burning car or cause injuries. While the seat belt syndrome is severe, there’s nothing worse than flying through the windshield. 

28. Seat belts cause ruptured aorta in 37% of cases 

(Millerandzois)

Many seat belt injuries have delayed symptoms, and early treatment is necessary to alleviate all consequences of a car crash. For example, ruptured aorta happens in 37% of cases; Bilateral lung contusion in 31.1%, ruptures of the heart in 28.4%, and lung lacerations in 15.5% of cases. These injuries are usually caused by high-speed accidents, according to seat belt injuries statistics. 

29. Children should be at least 4’9’’ tall to avoid the seat belt syndrome

(Saferide4kids)

Fitting a seat belt properly to children means minimizing the seat belt syndrome or being thrown out of the car in case of an accident. Seat belt syndrome is a term that includes specific injuries related to the use of seat belts. The injuries most commonly happen in the abdomen area and can be severe, based on the seat belt accident statistics.

30. Unrestrained rear site passengers are 8x more likely to sustain a severe injury

(IIHS)

Seat belts are saving lives regardless of the seating position. For example, passengers in the back seats who don’t buckle up have an 8x higher chance of sustaining a severe injury upon collision. 

Conclusion 

Seat belts are designed to keep people in place upon collision and thus reduce injuries. People who use it significantly reduce the risk of coming in contact with the vehicle interior or being ejected through the windshield. These seat belt statistics point out how important it is for everyone in the car to use them properly. 

People spent decades testing out the effects of seat belts, and the idea that it will keep a user strapped in after an accident is unacceptable as an excuse. Seat belts are the number one safety measure in vehicles, and they are irreplaceable. 

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Getting into college is a cheerful occasion, but college campus safety statistics are something to keep in mind. Often, many young adults feel that leaving home gives them more freedom to behave however they want, which can cause many issues. 

While burglaries are the most common problem among students, alcoholism, sexual assaults, scams, drug abuse, campus shootings, and cyberbullying are also common occurrences. 

With the arrival of COVID-19, many students also worry about their health. They want to remain safe once they’re back on college grounds. Yet, most of them fear their peers might not follow the safety guidelines. 

Campus Safety and Security 

Crime is common on college campuses, but other things can endanger students’ life as well. With the rise of Coronavirus cases, students have one more thing to worry about besides burglaries and alcohol abuse. 

1. 1 in 3 students don’t feel safe going back to campus because of COVID-19

(Prnewswire)

Coronavirus has affected the entire world, and many institutions were closed during the lockdown. Once the lockdown was over, and people started getting back into the routine, students were expected to come back to classes. However, according to the most recent campus safety and security survey, one in three don’t feel safe enough.

2. 78% of students believe the health facility in their college can’t provide enough care

(Prnewswire)

With the Coronavirus still roaming around, these fears are entirely justified. Also, researches show that at least 11% of students were misdiagnosed in the past. This increases the students’ doubts about college health care facilities.

3. 34% of students believe their peers won’t hold proper distance

(Prnewswire)

According to the recent campus safety statistics, 34% of students worry their classmates won’t follow the guidelines for social distancing. In addition, female students trust others less than their male peers. 

4. 53% of college students consumed alcohol in the previous month 

(NIAAA)

Regardless of the pandemic, alcohol became a serious issue among college students. Peer influence, accessibility, and pressure caused 53% of students to consume alcohol in the past 30 days. According to United States college statistics, 33% of students also binged alcohol during the same timeframe. 

5. 1,519 college students aged 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related injuries

(NIAAA)

Consuming alcohol in college can lead to severe consequences. 1,519 college students aged 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related injuries that mostly include vehicle crashes. Other consequences include suicides and suicide attempts, injuries, or vandalism, making alcohol one of the most essential college campus safety issues to tackle. 

6. Young adults aged 18 to 24 are 3x more likely to be victims of a student scam

(Whnt)

Students and their parents often fall victims to scams. According to the most recent data, young adults aged 18 to 24 are most likely to end up being scammed. Most common college-related scams include fake credit cards, rental scams, scholarship and grant scams, and employment scams. Unfortunately, college campus safety statistics show that 41.6% of students reported losing money after being scammed. 

7. Illegal Adderall can cost $5 to $7 per pill

(Psycom)

Many students buy illegal stimulants from their peers. The most common reason for taking it is exams and homework. Students feel high pressure and fear underperforming, so they decide to boost their focus and get higher grades. College campus safety articles point out that students should primarily try natural methods to increase their productivity. If that doesn’t work, they should become more informed about the drugs before deciding to test them out. 

8. 1 in 5 college students abuses prescribed stimulants 

(Affordablecollegesonline)

College can be stressful. The change of environment, new friends, and some added stress often cause the fear of failure among students. That’s why some decide to increase their chances of success with stimulants. One in five students admitted using prescribed stimulants, such as Ritalin or Adderall. 

College campus crime statistics

All sorts of things happen on college campuses. It seems fraternities, sororities, and parties are a great way for students to vent. However, these statistics suggest that the institutions and the students must take college campus crime seriously and work on prevention and sanctions. 

9. Almost 10 out of 1,000 students are victims of crime in Marquette University

(Silive Valuepenguin)

According to the latest data, Marquette University is one of the least safe college campuses in the US. Violent crimes are less common, but property crimes are high. Vanderbilt University has second place with 8.6 per 1,000 students experiencing violent crimes, and the University of California, LA is in third place with an 8.3 mark. 

10. There were at least 67 gunfire incidents in schools in 2020

(Everytownresearch)

Gun-related violence in schools has increased, and colleges are no exception. According to college campus shootings statistics, there were 67 gunfire-related incidents on school grounds in the US. Eight college students died, nine were hurt. In addition, there was one suicide incident with no intent to harm others and one police intervention where nobody was hurt. 

11. Total of 17,454 VAWA crimes were reported across 11,013 campuses 

(OPE)

The Violence Against Women Act addresses domestic violence, sexual assaults, dating violence, and stalking, many of which happen around campuses of US colleges. Unfortunately, considering the latest campus VAWA crime statistics, these numbers are on the rise. According to the available data, there were 17,454 VAWA offenses reported on more than 10,000 campuses. 

12. 77% of hate crime in college derives from race, religion, or sexual orientation

(NCES)

College students often pass judgments based on race, religion, or sexual orientation. Sometimes, the judgment turns into a hate crime. Based on the numbers of crime on college campuses, 77% of reported hate crime on campuses is motivated by race, religion, or sexual orientation. Based on the last available information, race was the cause for 43% of hate crimes, religion for 18%, and sexual orientation for 16%. 

13. Forcible sexual offenses make 32% of reported crimes in college

(Criminallawfirmtexas)

Sexual assault statistics show that this type of crime is common in college. 32% of reported crimes are forcible sexual offenses, according to college campus violence statistics. Young adults find themselves outside their homes for the first time, and this can change their behavior. Besides being common, another problem with sexual assaults is that some of the students involved are still minors. 

14. 97,000 students report alcohol-related sexual assault or rape

(NIAAA)

Students often consume more alcohol than they can stand, and one of the negative consequences is becoming a victim of alcohol-related sexual assault. Rape statistics in colleges show that about 97,000 students aged 18 to 24 have experienced these types of assaults or date rape from their peers. 

15. 696,000 students were assaulted by another drunk student

(NIAAA)

Many college students turned to excessive drinking because of the Coronavirus pandemic. It increased the existing stress among students. Unfortunately, some young adults may turn violent when drinking. According to campus assault statistics, 696,000 students were assaulted by another drunk student across colleges in the US. 

16. 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault

(RAINN)

The number of sexual assaults in colleges has been on the rise in the last four years. For example, non-consensual sexual contact by use of physical force happens to 13% of students. The prevalence depends on gender and the ability to consent due to being incapacitated. College violence statistics point that female undergraduate students are three times more likely to be victimized than female graduates. Undergraduate men are also twice as likely to report sexual assaults. 

17. 22% of college students experience cyberbullying

(Affordablecollegeonline)

The internet is useful to students in many aspects of their life. They use it to finish homework, attend online classes or socialize. But, unfortunately, with social media comes the problem of cyberbullying. Campus violence statistics show that about 22% of students experience bullying online, and 38% know someone who was cyberbullied. 

18. Property crime affects 22 out of 1,000 students

(Valuepenguin)

Property crime statistics say that this is the most common crime students are dealing with on college campuses. Property crime mostly comes down to burglary, with the intention to commit theft. According to college crime rates, it’s far more common than violent crimes and hits on average 22 students per 1,000. 

Improving College and Campus Safety

Even though there are many challenges when it comes to the safety of college campuses, many colleges across the US are working on improving the students’ safety. Video security systems and law enforcement officers are just a small part of what colleges could do, based on the Clery Act. 

19. 86% of campus law enforcement officials have the right to make an arrest

(Ravemobilesafety)

Safety on college campuses can be improved, and many crimes can be prevented with on-campus law enforcement officers. Most academic institutions employ armed officers, and 86% of sworn officials have a legal right to arrest outside campus grounds. 

20. The University of Connecticut reported 826 safety-related in 2019. 

(Collegefactual) (UCONN)

The University also has a web page with detailed instructions on how students can take action against crimes and similar events. Still, there were 826 safety-related incidents that involved students in 2019. 

According to college campus safety rankings, out of the total 3,990 colleges and universities that reported crime and safety data, 3,935 of them reported fewer events. 

21. There were 207,383 disciplinary actions across 6,104 institutions and over 10,000 colleges 

(OPE)

Colleges started taking crime seriously. There were over 200,000 reported disciplinary actions taken and 44,567 arrests on college campuses. Even though these numbers show a slight decrease in trends, college crime is still something to worry about.

22. Average self-defense class cost ranges from $30 to $200

(Verywellfit)

Because of increased college campus crime and violence, many women decide to opt-in for a self-defense class. Some colleges even offer such classes as a part of the curriculum. Sometimes they can be credit classes, sometimes taken for fun, but they offer a sense of safety among college students. Another alternative is buying a stun gun, taser, or pepper spray.

23. In 2019, students showed a significant increase in the knowledge of definitions and procedures in sexual assault compared to previous years

(AAU)

According to the latest available campus crime stats and surveys, the biggest change is reflected in students’ familiarity with sexual assault and misconduct definitions, with 11.5% of undergraduate women and 12.5% of undergraduate men. 

24. Students can purchase a safe for their valuables for as low as $120

(Safeandcosy)

Many students consider bringing a safe to their dorms, and it seems a smart idea because of all the thefts that happen around campuses. For just $120, students can purchase a small safe and increase their college campus security. 

25. The Clery Act from 1990 is still in use and brings many positive effects 

(Thebestcolleges)

The Clery Act was named after a student, Jeanne Clery, who was raped and murdered in her dorm. This Act raises awareness of the crimes and requires the schools to publish their annual crime statistics, disclose the places of the incidents, issue warnings, compile fire safety reports, deal with missing students, and instantly respond to dangers. The Act is highly effective and increases universities security. 

26. 75% of 4-year academic institutions employ armed officers

(RAINN)

According to the latest available information, 75% of 4-year academic institutions employ armed officers, which is a 10% increase in the last decade. In addition, 70% of law enforcement officers have memorandums of understanding with the local law enforcement. With this agreement, these two parties cooperate and work on enhancing the college campus safety.

27. When it comes to video security in educational institutions, 7% of survey respondents claimed they lack staff

(Campussafetymagazine)

More and more campuses decide to increase their video surveillance, but some are having difficulties. They are dealing with more maintenance and integration-related issues than K-12 institutions, according to public safety reports. Video surveillance data loss has a severe impact on the ability of the institutions to intervene during and react after the incidents happen appropriately. 

Conclusion 

College should be a fun time for everyone. Students experience living in a different setting, gain new friendships, and enjoy their opt-in classes. But, unfortunately, college campuses aren’t the safest places. Living in a dorm may expose students to violent crimes. 

While burglaries are the most common problem, excessive alcohol intake can cause many negative consequences among students and their friends. Luckily for future students, colleges are obligated to reveal their college campus safety statistics, following the Clery Act. 

By learning which campuses are the safest in the US, students can carefully consider their options and apply to colleges they believe will be the best selection. However, with the Coronavirus pandemic, chances are many students will attend online classes for the time being. 

When the campus’ doors open again, institutions will probably have to deal with enforcing social distancing and other guidelines to minimize the spread of the virus, on top of other issues. 

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Autonomous vehicles are here to stay, and if you are like most people and don’t know how to feel about them, these self driving cars statistics will help you decide if you love or hate them.

More and more companies are joining the race to build the ultimate autonomous vehicle (AV).

Although they are still in test phases, the odds are that we will be seeing them more in the future.

So, you will have to get used to seeing driverless cars around, as eerie as it may sound.

Interesting Self Driving Cars Safety Statistics

1. 43% of people with disabilities believe that autonomous vehicles’ advantages overshadow the disadvantages, while only 34% of people without disabilities feel the same way.

(PAVE)

It’s quite understandable since automated vehicles would enable them the mobility they could’ve only dreamed about a couple of years ago. This would also help them feel more independent, thus improving their quality of life.

2. Only 12% of American drivers would feel safe riding in a self driving car.

(AAA)

Although autonomous vehicle technology is continually evolving, only one in ten American drivers would feel safe riding in a fully autonomous vehicle, the latest AAA research shows. Furthermore, 72% would feel safer if they could take control at any moment, and 68% stated that a backup human driver would be a good idea.

3. More than half of Americans are comfortable with automated vehicles delivering groceries.

(AAA)

The statistics on self driving cars show that 53% of people wouldn’t mind AI (artificial intelligence) vehicles being in charge of low-speed and short-distance transport like people movers in airports and theme parks. Also, about 44% of people are okay with their groceries and packages delivered by self-driving vehicles. But only 20% would allow their families to be transported by these vehicles.

4. Approximately 94% of all vehicle crashes are caused by human error. Therefore, automated vehicles are expected to reduce overall traffic incidents by eliminating the human factor.

(NHTSA)

Besides saving lives, the benefits of self-driving cars include enormous savings in the economy. For example, as a result of traffic injuries in 2010, we have spent more than $242 billion in reduced economic activity and $594 billion due to loss of life and reduced quality of life.

5. NHTSA concluded that current driverless cars wouldn’t be able to avoid almost two-thirds of the most common accidents.

(IIHS)

Although we put a lot of faith in the future of self-driving cars, the facts may be telling us a different story. NHTSA stated that even though AI drives much better than us at reduced visibility, has shorter response time, etc., it cannot predict events. For instance, people would choose not to overtake a bicycle rider before a corner and slow down when they see people going near the pedestrian crossing.

Interesting Facts About Self Driving Cars and Their Benefits

6. Approximately 36% of Americans believe that improved road safety is the most significant benefit automated vehicles will bring.

(PAVE)

Furthermore, 45% think that AVs can save lives, while 36% are unsure. People are aware of the benefits the new technologies bring. And considering the current traffic fatality rates, they know how hard it is to see improvement.

7. Automated vehicles could free up to 50 minutes a day for average users. Moreover, they will be able to spend this traveling time any way they like.

(McKinsey & Company)

This is one of those autonomous vehicle statistics that brightens up our day and the online business managers’ too. The odds are, we will be spending those free minutes staring at our phones. That’s why the other part of the research concludes that online businesses will see a $6 billion revenue increase per year for every additional minute we spend online while in the car.

8. As per research, a group of driverless cars can enhance the flow of traffic by around 35%. 

(Science Daily)

This is one of the driverless car statistics from research conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge. In detail, they programmed a fleet of model robotic cars and put them on a multi-lane track, noticing traffic flow changes once a vehicle stops. 

Facts About Self Driving Car Accidents

Autonomous vehicles have been around for several years, but they are still a new technology that has to prove itself. And people are not that well informed about it.

Accidents involving AI cars get a lot of media attention, and the flashy headlines about killer robots on the streets do not help much in educating the public. Every time an incident involving AVs happens on the streets, it revives a public debate on self-driving cars pros and cons. 

This can make us think that these accidents happen all the time. But could you imagine what your news feed would look like if we had media coverage for every fender bender humans caused?

9. DMV California stated that 36 companies with 676 vehicles drove a total of 2,880,612 miles and had 9,338 disengagements in 2019.

(DMV), (The Verge)

The term “disengagement” is used for occasions when a human driver has to take control to avoid some potentially dangerous situation. The lowest rate of disengagement was reported by Baidu, with one intervention every 18,050 miles. The self driving car statistics show that Google’s company Waymo had the second-best result, with 13,219 miles per disengagement. The average is one driver intervention per every 308 miles of autonomous drive. 

10. Waymo reported no single-vehicle accidents in more than 6.1 million miles traveled.

(Waymo), (IIHS)

Waymo is Google’s subsidiary and a leading company in autonomous vehicle developments. Their autonomous cars statistics show their vehicles have traveled about 6.1 million miles in past years, without any single-vehicle accidents. Just to show you how important that is—53% of traffic fatalities in 2019 came from single-vehicle crashes. 

11. Waymo autonomous vehicles had just 18 minor incidents per 6.1 million miles traveled.

(Waymo)

Waymo recently revealed how many self driving car accidents they have had—18 low-severity incidents in 6.1 million miles traveled. The result would be even better if it weren’t for humans’ unforeseeable actions. Namely, many of these incidents were other drivers’ fault, such as cars and bicycles hitting the AVs from the back. The other significant cause for incidents was that an AI was caught off guard when people committed traffic violations. One of the most surprising facts about driverless cars is that they assume the human drivers will do everything by the book.

12. Google’s Waymo had 28,000 lower disengagement rates than Uber.

(Statista)

Waymo had 0,09 disengagements per 1,000 miles, while Uber had 2600. It is so because Waymo is conducting its tests over a wide area, while Uber is more concentrated on urban areas with much denser traffic. In these circumstances, human drivers have to intervene more often.

13. Uber’s autonomous vehicle has caused one death.

(Waymo), (NBC)

There is no sufficient data to calculate the driverless car accident rate since the fatalities are calculated by 100 million miles traveled, and the autonomous vehicles haven’t traveled that much. The fatality rate in the US was 1.1 in 2019. To put things in perspective, Waymo, one of the industry leaders, traveled a total of 20 million miles by January of 2020. Uber just reports “millions of miles.” There was one unfortunate pedestrian death in March of 2018, caused by Uber’s autonomous vehicle. For now, we can say that due to this death, AVs have a worse fatality rate than humans.

Ways to Improve Self Driving Cars Statistics

14. BMW and Daimler are joining their forces and allocating more than 1,200 experts to speed up autonomous cars’ development.

(CNBC)

Although fierce competitors, the two automotive giants decided to join forces and, along with nine other companies, published a white paper on driverless technology called “Safety First for Automated Driving.” The main goal is to establish safety standards in the industry and improve self driving cars statistics.

15. NHTSA announced the expansion of its AV-TEST pilot initiative, and it now includes 52 companies, governments, and associations.

(NHTSA)

The program started in 2020 with nine participants, and this latest expansion should significantly improve and speed up the work on AV development and identification and collection of relevant data. This will all be available to the public on a daily updated dedicated webpage. It will go a long way in introducing the technology to the public, keeping them informed on the progress, advancement, safety implications, and positive facts about self-driving cars.

Conclusion

Autonomous vehicles are still uncharted territory, and we discover something new every day. And surprisingly, the more we find out about artificial intelligence, the more we find out about ourselves, and here’s why. 

Self driving cars safety statistics show that most of the accidents happened because cars didn’t know how to react when people were violating traffic regulations. And we tend to do that a lot. Just take a look at the fatality numbers and their causes. Should we program cars to think like humans? But then that might imply they will act without thinking much.

However, the number of autonomous vehicles is constantly increasing, and pretty soon, we will have to share our roads with them. So it will be interesting to see how we will interact. 

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The safety technology in cars has evolved so much during the last decades, but we still can’t see any significant traffic safety statistics improvement. They are improving, but not as much as expected.

Are we relying on technology more than we should?

The technology brought on many improvements in active and passive safety. We have ABS, ESP, ASR, TCS, and all sorts of interestingly named drivers’ aids. We have airbags, protective cages, and impact zones to keep us safe in the event of a car crash. But maybe they are giving us a false sense of security.

Traffic Safety Statistics

1. Approximately 1.35 million people worldwide die each year as a result of traffic accidents.

(World Health Organisation), (Statista)

The death toll is not evenly spread globally. What’s interesting is that 93% of the global fatalities are reported in low and middle-income countries, even though they have only 60% of the world’s vehicles. That can be attributed to the fact that drivers in wealthier countries have newer cars with more safety features. Another important factor is that, in general, rich countries also have stricter driving laws and better law enforcement.

2. The number of deaths from car accidents has decreased by 3.3% in the first half of 2020.

(NHTSA)

But, the results are much worse than the year before. The NHTSA compared data from the first half of 2020 and the corresponding period in 2019, and they came to a worrying conclusion. The number of deaths dropped, but so did the number of total traveled miles, by 16.6%. And the fatality rate is calculated by comparing these two. Тhe result is – the fatality rate per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled has skyrocketed to 1.42, from 1.08 in 2019.

3. Approximately 17% of all traffic fatalities are pedestrians.

(NHTSA, GHSA)

Pedestrians are one of the most vulnerable groups of road users. They account for almost a fifth of all traffic deaths. This high percentage is mainly due because pedestrians are completely unprotected in a case of an accident, unlike car drivers who have active and passive safety measures in their vehicles. Namely, there were 6,721 pedestrian fatalities in 2020. 

4. We now have a three times lower fatality rate than in 1981.

(NHTSA)

There were 50,000 deaths in traffic in 1981. If that trend had continued, given the traffic increase, we would have more than 120,000 traffic deaths per year now. To put things in perspective, there were 36,096 traffic-related deaths in 2019. The fatality rate per 100 million miles has dropped from 3.5 in 1981 to 1.10 in 2019. So we are much safer than we were before, but there is still a long way to go.

5. Around 2,400 US teens died due to motor vehicle crashes in 2019.

(CDC)

As the official road accidents report shows, around 258,000 visited the emergency room for injuries suffered in such crashes. 

Vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among US teens. More specifically, the risk of these crashes is higher in teens between the ages of 16 and 19 than other age groups.

6. In 2019, people in South Carolina were three times more likely to die in a car crash than in Massachusetts.

(IIHS)

Local traffic accidents reports show that in 2019, South Carolina had the highest fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled – 1.73. The lowest fatality rate was in Massachusetts, only 0.51. What’s interesting is that the residents of Massachusetts don’t really like wearing seatbelts. Only 82% of vehicle occupants are observed wearing them.

7. Low-income countries have ten times higher traffic death rates than rich countries.

(World Health Organisation)

When it comes to traffic fatalities by country, the statistics show that the highest rates of fatalities are reported in low-income countries like Liberia (35.7 deaths per 100,000 residents), Burundi (34.7), Burkina Faso (30.5). As expected, rich countries have the lowest traffic fatalities rates. Switzerland reports only 2.7 deaths, followed by the UK with 3.1, and Scandinavian countries with 2.8 to 4. The US is in the middle of the list, with a score of 12.4 traffic-related deaths per 100,000 residents, while Canada has only 5.17.

8. The traffic accident reports show that there were 448 fatal car crashes during the 2021 Memorial Day weekend.

(Tario&Associates)

The second on the list of the most dangerous holidays is Labor Day weekend, with 445 traffic fatalities on average, followed by Independence Day weekend with 440. Moreover, more than half of the holiday traffic deaths involve a person not wearing a seatbelt. 

9. Electric scooters are becoming an important factor in road accidents reports, as seven people died in accidents involving this kind of transport.

(Destatis)

The German police published their first-ever electric scooter accident report, and the numbers aren’t looking good. From January to September 2020, they have registered 1570 e-scooter accidents where people were injured or killed. Seven people died, while 269 were severely injured, and 1096 people were slightly injured. As the popularity of this kind of transport is increasing, the numbers will probably rise.

10. Car accident statistics for 2020 show that the ten-month death total is approximately 5.9% higher than the same period in 2019.

(National Safety Council)

The National Safety Council estimates the number of traffic-related deaths from January to October of 2020 to 34,410, and that is quite an increase compared to 32,250 in 2019. You would expect that the numbers will be lower because of the lockdowns and quarantines, but this isn’t the case. After three months of decrease during the lockdowns, the numbers started going up, and October is a fifth consecutive month with a steady increase in traffic-related deaths.

11. Out of all traffic fatalities in 2020, 24 children died from a heat stroke.

(National Safety Council)

This disturbing statistic gets even worse. On average, 38 kids under the age of 15 lose their lives each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. These kinds of accidents are a result of negligence and could have easily been avoided. 2018 and 2019 were record years when 53 children died in hot vehicles.

12. The number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents has increased by 69% since 2009.

(NHTSA)

The statistics show that the traffic fatalities by year are decreasing in rural regions and increasing in urban areas, mostly because pedestrian fatalities are up 69%, bicyclist deaths increased 48%, and motorcycle accidents claimed 33% more lives than in 2009.

13. On average, almost 30 Americans die in drunk-driving crashes each day.

(NHTSA)

Approximately 10,000 people die each year in traffic accidents where alcohol is involved. That number has dropped by a third in the last 30 years, but it’s still very high. Drunk driving statistics show that the age group between 21 and 24 had the highest percent of drunk drivers. In addition, 27% of people from that age group involved in fatal crashes had elevated blood alcohol levels.

14. We have traveled 16.6% fewer miles in the first half of 2020.

(NHTSA)

The total mileage covered by vehicles in the US decreased by about 264.2 billion miles, or 16.6%, compared to 2019. This was solely due to lockdowns in the spring. But even with these low mobility levels, we still managed to bump up the number of traffic deaths in 2020 to more than 34,000. The frightening thing is that the numbers could have been even higher if it hadn’t been for the lockdowns and different movement restrictions. NHTSA conducted a study and found out that the average speeds during rush hours were increased by 50%. Maybe that’s the explanation.

15. Canada has two times better statistics than the US.

(Transport Canada)

With an average of 1881 highway deaths per year in the last five years, Canada managed to lower its fatality rates to 5.2 per 100,000 residents. To put things in perspective, the US ratio is 12.4, making American roads one of the most dangerous in the developed part of the world.

16. Approximately 14% of all traffic fatalities come from accidents where large trucks were involved.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics), (NHTSA)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics for 2019 show that out of 36,096 fatalities in 2019, 5005 were in crashes where at least one large truck was involved. That number didn’t change much since they year before when 5006 such accidents occurred. As for the truckers, 617 of them lost their lives. The disproportion in numbers is mostly because, in truck-car collisions, the people in smaller vehicles get hurt more often.

How to Improve Traffic Safety Statistics

The number of vehicles on the roads is going to increase. It’s been on a constant rise since the car was invented, and people aren’t really prepared to give up that sense of freedom cars give us, no matter how developed public means of transport are. But more vehicles on the roads don’t necessarily have to mean more accidents. The most important thing is to improve active and passive safety on all vehicles. The following statistics show exactly how important they are.

17. NHTSA traffic safety facts suggest that approximately 15% of all motorcycle fatalities could have been prevented if people wore helmets.

(NHTSA)

In 2019, motorcycle helmet use was 70.8%. Motorcycle helmets save numerous lives every year. That clearly shows how important it is to be adequately equipped. Don’t think about looking cool; think about safety. No one looks cool in an ambulance.

18. Traffic accident reports show that 47% of people killed in car crashes didn’t have their seatbelts on.

(NHTSA), (Morris Bart)

And many of them could have survived if they had been restrained. It’s hard to believe that there are still some people who refuse to wear seatbelts. Luckily, they are a minority. The authorities estimate that about 90.7% of drivers and passengers are wearing seatbelts, and that percentage is increasing over the years. Unfortunately, these percentages are improving slower in some categories – the NHTSA statistics also show that just 84% of pickup truck drivers have their seatbelts on while driving.

 b. As far as the states are concerned, North Dakota and Wyoming have the lowest scores, with between 75% and 83% of vehicle occupants who like to buckle up. According to estimates, seat belts save around 15,000 lives annually.

19. Traffic stats show that cars equipped with crash-avoidance technologies were involved in 7% to 78% fewer crashes, depending on the type of crash.

(IIHS)

In a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the results clearly showed that using the latest crash-avoidance technologies resulted in fewer accidents and insurance claims. For instance, vehicles with rear cameras and parking sensors reported 78% fewer backing-up accidents.

20. Autonomous cars might improve our road accidents statistics, and by 2030, there will be 2.9 million self-driving vehicles on the roads worldwide.

(Statista)

The experts predict that the annual production of autonomous cars will reach 800,000 per year by 2030. A closer look at the numbers tells us that there might be more than 2.9 million partially or fully autonomous vehicles on roads worldwide by that time. But, of course, the majority will end up on the rich countries’ streets, and a large portion of them in the US. So, we will have to get used to driving with robots around.

Key Driving Safety Facts You Should Keep in Mind

21. About 21% of all crashes are weather-related

(Federal Highway Administration)

When faced with severe weather, it’s best not to travel. However, in case you have no choice, you need to take special care because out of 5,891,000 crashes that averagely happen every year, about 1,235,000 are directly caused by bad weather. Although snow and icy roads are the first things that come to our minds when talking about dangerous driving conditions, the fact is that 70% of bad-weather accidents happen on wet pavement and 46% during rainfall.

22. NHTSA traffic safety facts published in 2020 reveal that in 26% of crashes, at least one driver was speeding.

(NHTSA)

Although this percentage is on the decline, 1% from the previous year, it is still high, considering all the effort put in public campaigns and harsher penalization policies. The main contributors to these statistics, as expected, are the young people, as 30% of male drivers and 18% of female drivers from the 15 to 20 age group that were involved in fatal crashes were speeding.

23. Child car seats are of little use if not installed properly, and 46% are not.

(CDC)

Driving safety statistics show that 59% of child car seats and 20% of booster seats are not correctly installed. That can seriously impair the effectiveness and increase the likelihood of injury. So, it’s important to read the instructions, even for booster seats, even though they seem easy to install.

24. Subaru WRX owners are two times more likely to get a speeding ticket.

(Insurify)

One of the most interesting traffic safety facts in 2020 came from research done by an insurance company. They’ve established that 20.49% of Subaru WRX owners have at least one speeding ticket, and the national average is 10.54%. The rest of the cars on the list are Volkswagen GTI (17.38%) and Subaru Impreza (15.9%). As far as the car makers are concerned, the overall winner is Dodge, with four of its models in the top 10 list.

25. Approximately 53% of all traffic deaths happen in single-vehicle crashes.

(IIHS)

The US traffic death statistics show that about half of fatalities occurred when just one vehicle was involved. The most common reasons are going off the road and losing control of the vehicle due to excessive speed, alcohol, bad weather conditions, distraction, drowsiness, etc.

Conclusion

We should all work on becoming better and safer drivers and not expect technology to take care of that. And the Traffic statistics clearly show that we have a lot of work to do. The surprising results about traffic fatalities during the Coronavirus pandemic could be viewed as a warning sign. Even with the lockdowns and reduced mobility, we somehow managed to kill each other on the roads more and with greater efficiency. If only we were so effective in other fields!

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