Excessive speeding was attributed to a recent fatal car crash in Brooklyn, in which a Nissan Maxima split in two after slamming into a utility pole when it came in contact with oncoming traffic. The accident resulted in the instant death of the 18-year-old female passenger. The driver of the speeding car, who was 20 years old, was pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital shortly after the accident. According to witnesses, and video from a surveillance camera monitoring the area where the accident occurred, the vehicle ran through the intersection at an alarming speed while various cars from the opposite lane of traffic were making left turns, and slammed into a BMW immediately before hitting the pole. The driver and passenger of the BMW were taken to Kings County Hospital, suffering minor injuries from the crash. Speak to a knowledgeable New York personal injury attorney to answer any questions or concerns you might have regarding your case.

Car Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 80 people are killed on American roadways every day. In 2013 alone, there were a total of 35,244 fatal car crashes in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes have an enormous impact on the economy as well, estimated at a combined economic and societal cost of $871 billion, based on NHTSA’s 2010 crash data, which is approximately 1.9 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Thirty-two percent of total fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States can be attributed to drunk driving. Speeding accounts for approximately 31 percent of auto accidents resulting in death, while 16 percent is credited to distracted driving, such as texting and talking on the phone. Bad weather conditions - including roads with heavy rain, snow or ice - contribute to 11 percent of these tragedies, the NHTSA study shows. Drivers account for more than half of fatalities, while 20 percent of deaths are of passengers. The likelihood of a fatal motor vehicle accident also increased or decreased depending on the day of the week, with Saturday, not surprisingly, being the most probable, at 19 percent. Friday and Sunday are the next most likely during which a fatal accident can occur, at 16 percent.

Crash Prevention

As a result of these alarming crash statistics, some local governments are implementing defensive safety measures, including instituting curfews for young drivers recently issued a motor vehicle license, and not allowing them to have passengers. Similarly, car manufacturers are joining preventative actions by adding crash prevention technology, such as proximity detectors and autonomous emergency braking in some vehicles, in an effort to reduce accidents. The court system can even get involved by ordering the installation of sobriety devices in the vehicles of repeat drunk driving offenders, which requires a driver to blow into a mouthpiece to measure alcohol consumption and locks the ignition and disables the car if the result is above the legal limit.

Contact an Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an auto accident, contact a New York auto accident attorney today for an initial consultation on your legal rights. The attorneys at Sonin & Genis will aggressively fight for the compensation to which you are entitled for medical bills as well as pain and suffering. Call 718-561-4444 to make your appointment.