Auto accidents continue to be a problem in Oklahoma and across the United States. With the number of drivers who are speeding, are distracted, drive drowsy, get behind the wheel under the influence or are generally reckless, the potential for an auto crash with injuries and death seems to be the worst it has been in years. This puts everyone in danger whether they are driving, are pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists.
While law enforcement, legislators and safety advocates take steps to educate drivers on the value of adhering to the law and behaving safely, many ignore their entreaties. Researchers analyze the numbers to determine which states are the riskiest. For Oklahoma drivers, the most recent research from Forbes Advisor should give them pause when they use the state’s streets and roadways.
Oklahoma ranks fifth worst in the nation for dangerous drivers
In the study, Oklahoma was ranked as the fifth worst state in which to drive. This was due to a combination of the number of fatal collisions and how common it is for drivers to text while driving.
Regarding the fatalities, the state ranked second worst for number of fatal collisions for every 100,000 licensed drivers. Only Mississippi had more. While some states have turbulent weather that contributes significantly to accidents, Oklahoma had 6.6% of fatal accidents that were attributed to weather issues. Contrast that with West Virginia which counted nearly 15% of its fatal accidents as being linked to the weather.
The study said that 13.54 fatal crashes out of 100,000 drivers involved a drunk driver. This was eighth worst in the U.S. Texting and driving is still a problem despite massive campaigns to discourage the practice. Oklahoma came in sixth with more than 61% of drivers who stated they saw friends and relatives using their handheld device while they were operating a motor vehicle.
It is a constant in the back of people’s minds that there is a chance of an auto accident when they take to the roads in the state. This information, however, makes it clear that those driving in the state have a major chance of being in a collision. Even if there are no fatalities, there can be severe injuries that negatively impact them and their family personally, physically, professionally and financially.
There are options after an auto accident
Knowing how and why an accident occurred is a fundamental part of moving forward in its aftermath. Was the driver drunk? Were they distracted? Did witnesses see them behaving in a reckless manner? Did they run a stop sign or red light?
These are all questions that need to be answered for those who were hurt or lost a loved one to move forward and make a full financial recovery for all that was lost. Being aware of the steps to take is vital. This means having professional guidance that understands all aspects of personal injury to help those who were harmed.