Of the more than 3,000 people who lost their lives that year, 742 were pedestrians and 129 were bicyclists. The majority of fatalities – 1,161 – were car occupants, while 456 were motorcyclists. You can see the full statistics report here.
It may surprise you that the majority – 57 percent – of these fatal accidents were single-vehicle crashes, while 43 percent involved multiple vehicles. Here are just a few examples of how a single vehicle alone can crash:
- Vehicle leaves the roadway
- Driver loses control of the vehicle
- Vehicle rollover
- Collisions with rocks or other debris in the road
- Collisions with animals
Although it may seem as though the driver is always responsible for a single-vehicle crash, this is not the case. It is possible for someone else’s negligence to cause a fatal crash involving one car. Consider the following causes:
- Defective vehicle parts
- Faulty ignition switch
- Defective tires
- Dangerous roadway design
- Loose shoulders
- Construction materials left on the roadway
- Lack of proper signs and warnings