How Likely Are Vehicle Incidents on the Road

• Speeding increases both the risk of collisions occurring as well as the risk of severe and fatal injuries. A total of 29% of all deadly car accidents occur as a result of speeding drivers. Motorists who go too fast accounted for 11,258 fatalities.

• Intoxicated or drugged motorists are responsible for causing close to 10,500 deaths each year in the U.S. – this means that drunk driving causes about 1 in every 3 car accident deaths. In Canada, young drivers (aged 16-24) account for 32% of drunk drivers involved in fatal car accidents. Around 30% of drunk drivers were going above the limit at the time of a fatal crash – and most of them didn’t wear a seatbelt.
  

• Then there’s distracted driving. Distracted driving refers to activities that divert attention away from driving, such as talking or texting on the phone, eating and drinking, interacting with passengers, or engaging in any other activity.

Each year, approximately 3,000 people lose their lives to car accidents resulting from distracted drivers. This accounts for between 8% and 9% of all fatal motor vehicle collisions on roads across the United States. Meanwhile, the Canadian Automobile Association claims that mobile phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes annually.

Another danger is instances of criminal activities on roads, such as carjacking, keying and theft, which have shown an unfortunate upward trend this year. According to Statista, there were 268 occurrences of car theft per 100,000 people in. The stolen cars statistics from the annual Hotspots Report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) explain that this equates to over 932,000 thefts. In Canada, reports say that a car gets stolen every 6 minutes. The bad news is that Canada's vehicle theft has worsened over the last seven years, with Toronto alone having 9,606 thefts in 2022, a threefold rise from the 3,284 thefts reported in 2015.

In particular, the Theft of Catalic Converters has skyrocketed. According to Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, theft of catalytic converters has risen by 1,710% since 2018, with a 60% increase from 2021-2022, resulting in an average approximate repair cost of $2,900(CAD). This just goes to show that protecting your vehicle even while it’s parked is just as important, consider applying theft prevention methods to your converter, or adding a Dash Cam with Parking Mode to keep your vehicle protected.

Hit-and-run incidents remain a persistent issue, leaving victims without closure and responsible drivers without justice. According to MoneyGeek, 70,000 pedestrians are hit by cars in the United States each year. We also found out that it doesn’t take high speeds to severely injure — or kill — pedestrians. 1 in 3 pedestrians hit by vehicles travelling 25 mph are severely injured, and 1 in 10 pedestrians hit at 35 mph die. AAA Foundation also reports that there were an estimated 737,100 hit-and-run crashes each year, which translates to a hit-and-run crash happening somewhere every 43 seconds.

Everyone has experienced frustration when driving, we’re all guilty of it, whether it's due to traffic or the poor actions of other drivers. However, for some, fury lasts far longer than an instant and can have disastrous effects – road rage. 

Road rage incidents have become distressingly common on our roads. According to recent statistics, the most commonly observed incident of road rage (45.4%) was another car violently blaring their horn. On the other hand, 38.9% of drivers observed other cars making nasty hand signals to other drivers.

Staying ahead of vehicle incidents on the road requires vigilance, patience, and responsible driving. For us, adhering to traffic rules, maintaining a safe following distance, and eliminating distractions can significantly reduce the chances of accidents. Always try to keep a cool head, and get out of the way of dangerous drivers, letting them pass by like leaves in the wind. Alongside these personal efforts, the power of a driving safety companion – like dash cams and wireless adapters for fewer distractions – are also crucial.

When it comes to safeguarding yourself and others, dash cams offer an extra layer of protection that extends beyond the confines of your vehicle. For drivers like you, dash cams serve as silent co-pilots, capturing real-time footage that not only keeps drivers accountable but also provides critical evidence in the event of an accident. Whether you want to capture the road ahead, the traffic behind for tailgating incidents, or even the passengers inside your car (recommended for ride-sharing users and fleet)

Dash cameras actively help drivers in making better decisions and avoiding potential road hazards, especially those modern dash cams that have Advanced Driver Assist System features. Their real-time feedback, such as collision warnings and lane departure alerts, can actively help reduce distractions or lapses in concentration. Features like Parking Mode also provide 24/7 security, even when you’re away from your car.

But beyond mere prevention, dash cams also serve as a tool in post-incident scenarios. In hit-and-run incidents, dash cam footage captures license plate details, vehicle descriptions, and the sequence of events, assisting law enforcement in locating and apprehending the responsible party. Especially when it’s not your fault and you have to prove it to the authorities, dash cam footage can save you time, money, and even lower your insurance cost in terms of damages.