Many Car Accidents Occur Close To Home

The NHTSA reports that approximately 52 percent of all accidents occur within a five-mile radius of home and 69 percent of all car accidents occur within a ten-mile radius from home.

While these car accident statistics seem rather discouraging, there is no reason to give up driving altogether.  A car accident survey conducted by Progressive Insurance Company reveals that, while most car accidents occur close to home, these accidents tend to be minor compared to auto accidents that tend to occur farther from home and on busy highways and interstates.

Our firm’s experienced car accident attorneys deal with numerous car accident claims everyday.  Many serious car accidents tend to occur on highways and interstates where vehicles tend to be traveling much faster and for longer distances.

However, many people would find it surprising that the majority of car accidents occur within a five-mile radius of home.

Some findings from the survey:

  • Twenty-three percent of reported accidents occurred within one mile of home.
  • Accidents were more than twice as likely to take place one mile from home compared to 20 miles from home.
  • Only 1 percent of reported accidents took place 50 miles from home.

Progressive’s survey also shed some interesting light on other factors that may tend to lead toward the higher likelihood of auto accidents occurring close to home.  Progressive also surveyed seat belt usage close to home, driving distractions, and the frequency of driving errors that occur within a five mile radius of people’s homes.  The survey found that seat belt usage is much less frequent when driving closer to home than on longer commutes.

Also, people tend to talk on cell phones, listen to iPods, and eat while driving when closer to home as well.  A major cause of these increased driving distractions is that people tend to have a false sense of security when driving close to home, or in familiar areas, a factor that could lead to the high percentage of auto accidents close to home.

Car accident safety experts recommend that when driving close to home, you should not be fooled into having a false sense of security.  Drivers need to be twice as cautious when driving near home and be on the lookout for distracted and careless drivers.  Simply being aware of the fact that the likelihood of an auto accident increases dramatically the closer you are to home may save you from possibly becoming involved in a car accident.

And as we all know, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye for sometimes the most unexpected reasons, so it is best to cover yourself with the best car insurance policy that you can afford.  Better to be safe than sorry — that’s what we say!

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney and find out how we can help you.  We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No fee if no recovery.