Report: Car Accidents Cost Nearly $900 Annually

Did you ever wonder how much money is expended to cover the costs of car accidents in the United States each year?

The folks at Carsurance did more than wonder. They commissioned a study that found that an estimated $871 billion is spent on crashes annually in America, according to the most recent statistics from 2010. That number is probably closer to $900 million by now.

According to their research, the physical toll of those crashes is just as costly, with nearly 40,000 fatal car accidents each year, an average of 90 people killed per day.

As for the most dangerous age group behind the wheel, Carsurance found that teenagers were responsible for 12.2% of car accidents, while elderly drivers (over age 65) caused 7.5% of crashes.

The numbers also show that cell phones and alcohol still play a major role in accidents.

One out of every four accidents, (1.6 million car crashes annually) was caused by the use of mobile devices while driving. Meanwhile, every 50 minutes, a person dies because of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Distracted driving as a whole is still the most common cause of traffic accidents in the United States.

The study also found that even though there are more licensed female drivers (50.6%) than men (49.4%), men are more likely to die in a car accident than women. In 2015 there were about 25,000 fatal car crashes involving male drivers, and about 10,000 caused female road traffic deaths.

Also of interest, traffic injuries and deaths are statistically most likely to happen on Saturdays, while Texas and California are home to the most fatal car accidents each year.