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How common are car accident deaths?
Annual United States Road Crash Statistics More than 38,000 people die every year in crashes on U.S. roadways. The U.S. traffic fatality rate is 12.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. An additional 4.4 million are injured seriously enough to require medical attention.
Do airbags deploy at low speeds?
Typically, a front airbag will deploy for unbelted occupants when the crash is the equivalent of an impact into a rigid wall at 10-12 mph. Most airbags will deploy at a higher threshold — about 16 mph — for belted occupants because the belts alone are likely to provide adequate protection up to these moderate speeds.
How bad is the acceleration when you crash into a wall?
The faster you go, the worse the acceleration when you crash into that wall (which you totally should not do). But a couple of key points: This is just a model using a spring to simulate the crushing of the car. The above graph shows the acceleration of the car.
How much energy does it take to hit a car?
In terms of kinetic energy, that translates as 45,464 foot-pounds for a 3400-pound car hitting a stationary obstacle at 20 mph. Plow the same car into a tree at 40 mph and the amount of energy quadruples to 181,855 foot-pounds. If you survive that, you’re just plain lucky, as the odds are very much against you.
Is the front of the car more dangerous in accidents?
Although a bit reductive, the IIHS’s findings suggest that the less the front of the car is involved, the more deadly the accidents are. Think sideswipes rather than head-ons. Think telephone pole or tree, smacked with just one headlight, but at a high speed.
Should you go to the hospital after a serious car accident?
“They’re bleeding out from the force of the crash,” Bates continues. He advises that anyone who’s experienced a serious car accident should go to the hospital immediately, despite feeling perfectly fine.