Every year, nearly 40,000 people lose their lives in car accidents. Back in 2017, for example, the specific number of fatalities for the United States was 37,133. It’s an incredible amount of people when you think about it, coming in higher than the total enrollment at a lot of colleges. And this happens year in and year out. The numbers do change a bit, but tens of thousands of people still lose their lives for the convenience of driving.
If you’re wondering how dangerous California is in particular, it saw 3,602 fatalities that year. That was the second-highest number out of all states in the country. The only state that had more was Texas, with 3,722 accident fatalities in 2017.
Now, this is somewhat unfair. Population plays a role. With 39,747,267 people, California has a higher population than any other state. Texas is next with 29,087,070 people. In fact, this shows how dangerous it is to drive in Texas. Even with a population of more than 10 million fewer than California, it still managed to outrank California in deadly accidents.
That said, you need to understand how and why people lose their lives in these tragic accidents. California may not be the most dangerous state, but it still sees a higher loss of life on an annual basis than almost anywhere else. That’s a risk you have to take into account every time that you drive.
If you do lose a loved one or suffer serious injuries in a car accident, you may have a right to financial compensation.
