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A car accident is defined as a crash that occurs between an automobile and another automobile, human, animal, or fixed object. Automobile accidents are also commonly called traffic collisions, traffic crashes, motor vehicle collisions, and motor vehicle crashes. Among the professionals who aim to reduce the number of traffic crashes and related injuries, use of the word accident is often debated as the term suggests that such events are unexpected and unpreventable.

Traffic crashes are a major public safety problem; overall, they are the leading cause of death by injury in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2005, there were almost 6.16 million police-reported crashes, 2.7 million injuries, and 43,443 deaths. Injuries that result from traffic crashes are the leading cause of death to individuals ages 1 through 34 and are the leading contributor to years of life lost due to premature death, surpassing heart disease, cancer, AIDS, and stroke. A 2000 NHTSA report estimated the cost of U.S. traffic crashes at over $230.6 billion annually.

Globally, traffic safety is a rising concern. The World Health Organization projects that by 2020, road traffic injuries and deaths will be the third most important contributor to global health problems, up from ninth in 2000. Eighty-five percent of the traffic deaths around the world occur to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists in low- and middle-income countries. More than half of these fatalities occur among younger, able-bodied adults; the economic cost of these fatalities to these countries is estimated at $65 billion each year.

Some populations may be overrepresented in the crash data because of behaviors associated with greater risks or may be overrepresented in injury data because they are less protected in some way. Such vulnerable populations include children, teenagers, older adults, communities of color, and nonmotorized road users (pedestrians and bicyclists).

Child passenger safety seats are key to protecting infants and children from motor vehicle injury. Because of their size and level of physical development, children are extremely vulnerable to injury and fatality as unrestrained passengers. Infants and toddlers are 4 times more likely to be unrestrained with an unrestrained driver than with a restrained driver. Even with the increase in car and booster seat use, many child safety seats are not installed properly.

Per population, the crash involvement rate of teen drivers is higher than that of any other age group. Issues related to human development, personality, peer influence, driving experience, and demographics all contribute to risk. New research in brain development shows that development of the prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive decision making, is not complete until the early 20s. Graduated driver licensing shows promise in reducing the teen crash rate, as do laws targeting underage drinking and driving and enforcing restricted alcohol sales to minors.

Although injury and fatality rates decline dramatically after young adulthood, they begin to rise again in older adulthood. Older adults face more severe injury risk in traffic crashes and are more likely to die from injuries. Some skills (vision, cognition, and sensory motor skills) important for safe driving may decline with the aging process, although age is not a predictor of driving skills and not all older adults experience a decline in skills that affect safe driving. As a percentage of the population, older drivers are least likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. However, per mile driven, older drivers have a higher rate of crash involvement. This is an increasing problem, as older adults comprise the fastest-growing age group in the United States. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control reports that by 2020, there will be more than 40 million older licensed drivers.

In addition to varying across age groups, collision involvement differs by ethnicity. Collision rates are higher among Latinos/as, African Americans, and Native Americans than among whites and Asians. Safety belt compliance, higher rates of impaired driving, and higher rates of pedestrian injury and fatality have been found to occur disproportionately among communities of color. These racial disparities are partially correlated with lower socioeconomic status and may be partially due to the confluence of many factors, including language and culture barriers, mistrust of law enforcement, insufficient knowledge of relevant laws, and the increased likelihood of rural residence. Focus groups and other research have identified culturally appropriate and sensitive educational materials geared toward special populations. This will be integral in reducing racial disparities in traffic safety.

Pedestrians and bicyclists, in particular, face hazards on the streets. Pedestrian deaths account for just over 11 percent of the country's traffic fatalities. Walking or riding a bicycle reduces road congestion, air pollution, and global climate change and offers other health benefits. However, pedestrians and cyclists frequently encounter problems with a road infrastructure designed primarily for motor vehicles, thereby creating greater risks. Unfortunately, creating reliable estimates of pedestrian accident rates is impossible without adequate information about pedestrian exposure (e.g., how many people walk, how many miles people walk). Currently, no widespread systematic and accessible method exists to estimate pedestrian exposure.

Bibliography:

1) AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. 2001. "The Role of Driver Distraction in Traffic Crashes." Washington, DC: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Retrieved December 4, 2007.

2) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2002. "The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2000." Retrieved November 30, 2007.

3) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2004. "Traffic Safety Facts." Retrieved November 30, 2007.

4) Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. 2006. "Pedestrian Crash Facts." Chapel Hill, NC: Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Retrieved November 30, 2007.

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