Throughout the state of Missouri individuals rely upon motor vehicles to get from one point to another. While the use of these automobiles undoubtedly makes life easier, with so many cars and trucks on the road, it is unfortunately all too possible that under certain circumstances, two or more of them will collide.
All car accidents have the potential to result in serious injuries. In the worst cases they result in death. According to law enforcement authorities in the state of Missouri, there are many things that can be pointed to as potential causes of accidents. Perhaps not surprisingly these include driving at speeds higher than what is posted, drivers getting behind the wheel of vehicles after consuming too much alcohol and drivers engaging in behaviors that constitute distracted driving.
Statistics are out regarding just how many fatal accidents occurred in the state of Missouri last year and it is more than the previous year. The number is up 32 from 2011, to 818. At least one safety official believes that the number could be significantly lower had all people involved been wearing seat belts. The Missouri Highway Patrol appears to support this. It has indicated that victims in fatal motor vehicles are found to have not been wearing a seat belt in close to two thirds of the incidents.
Missouri laws may have something to do with the high rate of vehicle occupants not wearing seatbelts. Unlike some states where police officers can pull a driver over and issue a ticket for nothing more than not wearing a seat belt, the biggest penalty in Missouri is a $10 fine.
The seat belt issue aside, serious injuries and death due to car accidents are unbelievably difficult to deal with. Accordingly, it is not uncommon for those who are injured to seek financial damages from others who are responsible for such accidents via a personal injury lawsuit. Similarly, the loved ones of victims who have died in car crashes may decide to file a wrongful death lawsuit. These types of cases cannot undo the harm that has been inflicted. Successful cases however may make it easier for those individuals to move forward with their lives.
Source: St. Joe Channel, “Missouri Traffic Fatalities Increase in 2012,” William Seay, Jan. 2, 2013