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There are many different factors that can cause vehicle accidents. From how roads are designed and the population to the number of people and drivers throughout the world the driving conditions are not exactly the same. However, you can see clear patterns in the data and the driving culture and environment based on just some statistics, such as:
- Number of vehicles
- Traffic accidents
- Accidents per vehicle
- Speed limit
- Average crash speed
- Kilometers of highway
The world is leaning towards driving on the right side, as 166 countries use the right side when driving while 74 countries stick to the left side.
Even though fewer countries drive on the left, major countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia drive on this side. In countries like the United States and Germany where people drive on the right there tends to be a greater number of vehicle accidents and fatal crashes. In fact, over the course of 100 million miles driven, there are 85 road fatalities per million inhabitants in Germany and 111 fatalities in the United States compared to 50 and 38 in Australia and the UK respectively.
In either left or right side counties, vehicle accidents are the most common (about 86% to 72%) followed by pedestrian (12% to 23%) and finally bicycle (2% to 12%). Countries that drive on the left side may have the fewest fatalities by vehicle (72.3% in the UK) and bike (2.7% in Australia and 5% in the UK), but most pedestrian fatalities occur compared to left side. In the United Kingdom, 22.7% and in Australia, 15% pedestrian fatalities occur compared to 14.8% in Germany and 12.2% in the United States.
Sometimes vehicle accidents can occur whether or not someone is driving on a certain side and despite the speed limit or type of vehicle crash. Accidents can occur because of different distractions as well and it’s a contributing factor for 22% of car crashes throughout the world.
One distraction is cell phone use and a reported statistic of 59% of Australians and 69% of Americans use cell phones while they are driving. However, besides texting, distracted driving accidents can occur because the driver was fatigued or they were too busy by looking at other crashes.
Now how’s that on a perspective of unsafe driving?
