Car accidents that cause injuries have happened virtually since automobiles were invented.

Over the last 25 years or so, car accident injuries resulting in deaths have declined an impressive 50% worldwide. This is due primarily to increased emphasis by both governments and car manufacturers on safety, including the standard use of air bags to reduce the number of severe injuries and deaths caused by front and side car-to-car collisions.

Another common cause of car accident injuries is ‘rubbernecking.’ Rubbernecking is the #1 cause of all rear-end car accidents and, in particular, whiplash injuries, in the United States.

Car accident prevention designed to reduce injury and fatality numbers focuses on technology and changing human behavior while behind the wheel. Both emit loud tones to alert the car’s driver that the vehicle is entering a dangerous area. In Europe, this has been shown to reduce accidental injuries from both car-to-car collisions and single-car accidents.

Changing driver behaviors to reduce car accidents is a tougher nut to crack – especially in the United States, where car ownership is embedded in the culture.

Perhaps surprisingly, U.S. states with less restrictive speed limit laws actually have a slightly lower incidence of car accidents that cause injuries or deaths.

Driver age has an interesting correlation with car accidents that cause injuries and deaths.

Car Accident Injuries – Causes and Preventive Measures