The state of Ohio has set a goal to reduce the number of statewide vehicle accident fatalities by 5 percent by 2015.
Halloween is over. The candy is gone, and most kids came home safely after trick or treating. However, there was a sobering news release from the Ohio Department of Transportation that indicated a spike in car crashes involving pedestrians in the days leading up to Oct 31. Even more frightening for parents, the majority of this increase involved children taking part in trick- or-treat activities.
Some of the reasons for this alarming statistic are obvious: Kids in pursuit of candy often cross streets in the middle of blocks rather than using crosswalks, traffic signals or intersections as places to cross. Another important reason for the increase is that the early evening hours are p
rime time for car accidents in any event, because drivers’ vision has not always adjusted to the growing darkness.
Although this is frightening information, parents in Columbus and surrounding communities can take heart. The rate of car accidents in Franklin County is generally lower than in other counties in Ohio. The rate of fatal accidents is also relatively low.
Of course, this does not mean that there are fewer crashes. Columbus is a large urban area – in fact, it’s the largest city in Ohio, with a 2012 population of 809,798, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It’s also growing, unlike other large Ohio cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati. As a result, Columbus has a large number of motor vehicle accidents — 31, 816 in 2012 to be precise. However, an individual driver or pedestrian is less likely to be involved in a car or other motor vehicle accident in Franklin County than in some other urban counties in the state.
Ohio Department of Transportation 2012 data about motor vehicle and car accidents in Columbus and Franklin County include:
• 244 people were killed in fatal crashes
• 2,328 people suffered serious injury
• Intersection accidents were the most common cause of serious and fatal crashes.
• Alcohol use was the most common high-risk driver behavior in fatal crashes.
• Young drivers were most likely to be involved in serious injury crashes.
• Pedestrians represented 23 percent of all fatalities and 10 percent of all serious injury accidents.
Bear in mind that this data includes all motor vehicle accidents, including those involving cars, trucks, pedestrians and motorcycles.
The state of Ohio has set a goal to reduce the number of statewide vehicle accident fatalities by 5 percent by 2015. Although some counties have seen a dramatic decline in car and other accident deaths, Franklin County fatalities have actually increased while the number of serious injuries has declined by around 15 percent from 2010 to 2012. Additionally, the rate of crashes per driver has declined only slightly since 2008.
Such numbers suggest that Franklin County is heading in the right direction when it comes to serious car accidents. However, the statistics show that the area is definitely going the wrong way when measuring fatalities. It remains to be seen whether Ohio will reach its statewide goal of reducing fatal accidents by 5 percent. However, Franklin County and Columbus will need to cut its number of fatal crashes if it is going to be part of statewide improvements in this area.
I’ve Been Injured In An Accident, What Should I Do?
If you or a family member has been seriously hurt by a negligent driver, you need to assess your options before accepting an offer from the insurance company. Your injuries may impact you for a long period, perhaps even a lifetime. If you accept an insurance payment that fails to sufficiently compensate you, you may be unfairly saddled with a lifetime of medical debt. An experienced Columbus car accident attorney can help protect your rights and future.
