In 2015, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that a total of 17,250 car accidents occurred daily. Many factors go into determining why car accidents happen, and most have to do with the driver. However, studies have shown that cars with specific features are more likely to get into an accident. These aspects include factors like make and model, the year the vehicle was manufactured, and the types of the car itself. A factor that surprised researchers was the color of a car could increase the chances of the driver being in an accident.

Not the Color You Would Imagine

The common perception among the public is that red, fast, and sports-like cars are more likely to be involved in an accident. This is due to the stereotypes that owners of red cars want to be noticed, are more adventurous, and thus are higher risk-takers. But a 20-year study in 2013 found black cars are 47 percent more likely to be in accidents. Why? The first reason is the most obvious. Black cars are a preferred color among car buyers. This can be due to the mystique or sense of mystery that the color black can hold for some people. It is the common color chosen by celebrities because it represents a high social status or is also considered a “rebellious” color. 

Car accidents are among the leading causes of death and injury in the United States and much of the world. Individuals who have been in a motor vehicle collision can face both health, financial, and emotional trauma for months and even years after the event. Auto accidents can cause significant harm to the body, especially in the head, neck, and back, possibly also resulting in prolonged pain and the inability to perform daily functions. The resulting medical bills can put an individual in the financial red zone, and many people report suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after having been involved in a motor vehicle accident. 

Car Accident Statistics 

According to studies, there are certain places and times of day in which collisions are most likely to occur. If you wish to prevent being in or causing a car accident, it is best to be more cautious if you are driving in the following locations or during the times listed below:

Ride-sharing services have grown in popularity significantly over the last several years. This is primarily due to the ease of use and the perceived high standard of service offered by companies such as Uber and Lyft. However, as with any vehicle-oriented service, there is the potential for car accidents while on the road. The ride-share driver might cause an accident due to negligence, or an accident may happen due to the fault of another driver. In such a situation, determining who is at fault is important. If the ride-share driver caused the crash, is the driver or the ride-sharing company held legally responsible? These are important questions to consider if someone uses this type of transportation and is involved in an accident as a passenger.

How Does Ride-Sharing Work?

Ride-sharing services are entities that bring drivers and passengers together. Specifically, these services allow the rider to request transportation in real time. Once the user of a ride-sharing app requests a ride (typically from his or her phone), the nearest ride-share driver receives the user’s contact information and location, and proceeds to the user’s destination to provide transportation.

For many people, posting on social media is now a daily habit. They post and share videos, images, and comments talking about good news, bad news, and all sorts of events that are occurring in their lives. This is a harmless activity most of the time, but unfortunately, some people seem to have forgotten that social media posting is a public affair, not a private one. They share things they should not, which could put them in legal jeopardy. One such example of this is when a person posts comments or photos after they are involved in a car accident.

How Social Media Can Be Used Against You

It can be surprising to see how people forget that social media is the stage for a public conversation. Even if you have set your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts to private, what you say and do can still leak out. Further, what you post can create misconceptions that can be used against you in a legal proceeding.

When a person files a lawsuit in the wake of a car accident, slip-and-fall, or other personal injury matter, they hope to recover enough in the way of damages to address the losses they have suffered. These losses generally include expenses related to physical injuries, as well as lost wages, property damage, and more. What many victims do not realize, however, is that their compensation may be reduced, as it is fairly common for an injured party to share in the liability for the accident. The legal doctrine under which a personal injury can be reduced for this reason is called “comparative negligence.”

Contributory Negligence vs. Comparative Negligence

One of the first questions in any personal injury matter is “Who was at fault for the accident?” Under the principles of common law, historically, if the injured party played any part in causing the accident, he or she was barred from seeking compensation from anyone else. The thought process was that a person has the duty to reasonably protect themselves from injury, so failing in that duty was seen as grounds to bar recovery.