Washington DC - Auto Accident Statistics

With the amount of people living, working, and visiting the Nation's Capital every day, car accidents have unfortunately been on the rise. According to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), there are an average of 57 traffic fatalities and 8,700 injuries every year, with the number of traffic related injuries far exceeding the national average. If this trend continues, the number of traffic fatalities will remain unchanged, while the number of injuries will increase. Although the Government is attempting to reduce these numbers by 50% by 2025, auto accident continue to plague the District, often leading to lifetime debilitation, financial problems, family issues, and even death. To better understand the impact of traffic in D.C., here are some statistics on car accidents in the capital.

According to the DDOT, the top five causes of crash related fatalities in the District are as follows:

• Aggressive Driving: 53%
• Impaired Driving, which includes driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol: 49%
• Young Drivers, which includes drivers under the age of 25: 32%
• Intersections, which includes design and operational flaws: 33%
• Improper SeatBelt Use: 31%

Although these statistics only show the fatality related car accidents, over half of all of the District's auto accidents result from alcohol impairment. This, after the District and Nation has been attempting to curb these types of incidents for the past two decades. Further, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a person is killed in an alcohol related crash every 31 minutes and a in a nonfatal crash every 2 minutes. 

To limit the number of accidents related to young drivers, the District has implemented a Graduated Driving Licensing program. According to the NHTSA, however, motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among teenagers. The most vulnerable group of drivers in D.C. is between the ages of 21 and 25.

These five causes are only a fraction of the reasons behind D.C. car accidents. Some other causes of vehicle accidents include work zones, head on collisions, older drivers, special vehicles, such as trucks and motorcycles, run off the road incidents, and pedestrians and bicyclists. The District is making great strides in combating the traffic problems; however, sometimes it is too late.

See also

• Auto accident general information
• Frequently asked questions - auto accidents

Related blog posts from Maryland

• Dram Shop Laws - Should We Have Them In Maryland?
• Negligent Driving - Is Texting Negligence?
• Andrew Bederman Quoted in Washington Times
• All auto accidents posts

After these accidents, the victim and often the family are left to figure out what rights they have to rectify the unfortunate situation. They encounter roadblocks with other drivers, the government, and insurance companies.
If you have been in an accident and have encountered a roadblock to your rights, click here to contact our law firm for a free case evaluation.