Fixed Objects (Motor Vehicle Safety) Stats and Facts

FACTS

1. When a driver swerves off the road and hits a tree, he will likely suffer injuries and face increased insurance rates. In these kinds of accidents, known as single-vehicle crashes, fault is typically placed on the driver.
2. Accidents with fixed objects and animals outside the central of the driver.

• • 20 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths result from a vehicle leaving the roadway and hitting a fixed object alongside the road. 
  • Trees, utility poles, and traffic barriers are the most common objects struck. 
  • Half of the deaths in fixed object crashes occur at night. 
  • Alcohol is a frequent contributing factor. 
  • Motorists also run off the road because of excessive speeds, falling asleep, inattention or poor visibility.

STATS

• Motor-vehicle-related deaths occur more often in collisions between motor vehicles than any other type of incident, fixed object crashes represented less than half of the total in 2018 (42%). 

• Collisions between a motor vehicle and a fixed object were the next most common type, with nearly 27% of deaths, followed by pedestrian incidents and non-collisions (rollovers, etc.).

• Collisions between motor vehicles accounted for less than half of motor-vehicle fatalities, fixed objects crash represented nearly 79% of injuries, 74% of injury crashes, and 72% of all incidents.

• Single-vehicle crashes involving collisions with fixed objects, pedestrians, and non-collisions accounted for a greater proportion of fatalities and fatal crashes compared to less serious crashes. These three crash types made up 55% of fatalities and 57% of fatal crashes, but only 25% or less of injuries, injury crashes, or all crashes.
• Collisions between motor vehicles, angle collisions cause the greatest number of deaths (about 7,400 in 2018).