Auto Safety
Below are some of the facts that I use while educating my patients and people in the community. At Bay Injury & Rehab, we promote prevention of injury as well as treatment. If you have already been injured and are interested in treatment, please refer to my AUTO ACCIDENTS page as well. If you are interested in contacting me for a speaking engagement, I would be happy to do so for free!
- There are an estimated 7 to 8 million auto accidents on American roads every year.
- Approximately 42,000 people are killed every year.
- There are approximately 3 million whiplash injuries every year.
- Half of these whiplash injuries will lead to long term symptoms.
- About 10% (300,000) of the whiplash injuries will lead to a permanent disability
- Most injuries and deaths occur on streets within a few miles from home, at speeds below 40mph.
- Whiplash can occur even in auto accidents at a low speed.
- Whiplash can occur even when there is little damage to your car.
- Air bags alone only reduce your chance of serious injury or death by about 12%, but when used in conjunction with a seatbelt become much more effective. Air bags are not a replacement for wearing a seatbelt!
- Proper placement of your headrest is your single most important protection against whiplash.
- 80% of drivers do not adjust their headrests.
- Studies show that most parents don’t know how to choose the proper system of child restraint or how to use the system they do have properly.
In a nationwide survey, done by Allstate in 2008, the Tampa Bay area ranked #1 as the deadliest area in America for teenage drivers.
The top 3 factors contributing to the deaths were:
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Speeding
- Alcohol and drug use