Ohio parents who are thinking about buying an inexpensive used car for their teenagers who just got their drivers’ licenses may be interested to learn that, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, the age of a vehicle affects a driver’s chance of dying in a car accident. The chance of dying in a crash goes up the older the vehicle is.
Researchers found that drivers of vehicles that are 18 years or older are 71 percent more likely to die in a car accident that drivers of vehicles that are 3 years old or newer. Drivers of vehicles that are 4 to 7 years old are 10 percent more likely to die in a crash while drivers of vehicles that are 8 to 11 years old are 19 percent more likely to die. The NHTSA researchers did adjust for the effects of time of day, speeding, driver age and blood alcohol content in addition to other factors.
It was noted, however, that the proper use of a seat belt could improve a person’s chance of survival. The use of a seat belt had a greater effect on newer vehicles than older vehicles. Failing to use the seat belt was shown to negate the benefits of newer vehicles in reducing the number of car accident deaths. For example, the odds of being killed for unrestrained drivers was 78 percent in 19-year-old vehicles and 72 percent in newer vehicles.
People who are in car accidents could suddenly lose the ability to earn an income while dealing with having to recover from painful and even life-altering injuries. Even if the injured individuals were in an older vehicle, they could still seek compensation from the driver who was responsible for causing the accident. A personal injury attorney may work with the insurance company right from the start to help maximize the compensation the victims may be able to obtain.