A truck accident lawyer here in Los Angeles is involved in settling matters for what is one of the top ten cause of death by injury worldwide. Stop and think about that for a minute. Of the many diseases that threaten human health, and other possible causes of trauma, road traffic accidents are on the top 10 most deadly list.
Compounding losses
Given global figures and recent trends, injuries from road traffic accidents will be in the top three contributors to the burden of disease worldwide in two years’ time. We must ponder predictions such as these. They are interesting and somewhat alarming projections.
They also say a lot about us and our behaviors and attitudes on the road. If we don’t take road safety more seriously, millions of people will be robbed of their most productive years. It is a fact that more than 50% of deaths resulting from traffic accidents involve persons aged 15 to 44 years.
The untimely death of a loved one is already too much to bear. But the consequent loss of livelihood and resulting changes in standard of living affects those who are left behind for the rest of their lives.
Vulnerability
A motorized rickshaw on the road could end up in a heap when hit by a modern SUV. Cyclists braving the roads would have no chance of surviving a head-on collision with a speeding car or van. Motorcycle drivers in developing countries weaving in and out of rush-hour traffic are at higher risk than their counterparts on four-wheeled vehicles.
Of course, pedestrians will be sharing the road with everything else that rolls forward on wheels. They are vulnerable, and most do not survive a crash with a motor vehicle on the road. These folks are unfortunately more vulnerable and show a high proportion of traffic deaths.
Fatality
These days, the most vulnerable age group are people aged from 16 – 19 years. Teen drivers driving without regard for the rules of the road are ticking time bomb. The driver of a sedan hitting a tree on the side of the road could be feeling a bit drowsy and disorientated.
He’d have to be observed for signs of a concussion, but he won’t have taken such a long leave of absence from work when the pain goes away. A woman on a motorbike with a proper helmet, who got sideswiped by a van at an intersection, could walk out of the hospital with only a few scratches and bruises treated.
It’s a good story about luck, but it could have been an account of bad luck instead of good. On the other hand, a semi-truck driver is part of a different statistic – one that says 8% of road accidents with fatalities involving semi-trucks. That is not very encouraging if you have just started on the job as a truck driver, right?
On the bright side
Before the 1900s, we have been assailed by the number of deaths from accidents that could have been prevented. When new motor vehicle safety guidelines came out, the numbers have improved. Nevertheless, we have always to consider the risks involved and how irresponsible driving behaviors could change your life forever.
