Jackson County Missouri Traffic Accident Myths Debunked

In Jackson County Missouri in 2010 there were 21,914 car accidents. There are almost 343 miles of roadway in Jackson County, which means nearly 64 car accidents for every mile of road. And there were over 60 car accidents per day in Jackson County last year. That equates to more than 1 car accident every 30 minutes. With that many car accidents occurring all the time it is important to know some of the facts surrounding them.

Common Jackson County Missouri Car Accident Myths

1. Most accidents happen in bad weather.


2. Wet or snowy roads mean more serious accidents.


3. More accidents happen after dark.


4. If I don't speed I won't get into an accident.


5. Driving below the speed limit is safer.


6. Most accidents are from drinking and driving.

Missouri Car Accident Facts Revealed

1. Of all car accidents in Missouri in 2010 77 percent happened on dry roads. Surprised? The reason is driver attention. People slow down and pay attention to the road and traffic conditions when the weather is bad and the roads have snow, ice, or rain. Therefore the percentage of accidents during those conditions is much lower. In 2010 only 7 percent of accidents involved snow, ice or slush on the road and only 16 percent occurred on wet roads.


2. Nearly 80% of fatal car accidents occur on dry roads. On dry roads in the daytime, most drivers are complacent. People tend to drive on automatic pilot, not paying close attention to the traffic conditions, their vehicle's speed, or their position relative to other cars. Complacency can lead to taking risks and driving unsafe.


3. Almost 71 percent of car accidents occur in daylight. Again driver error is more likely to occur in normal conditions in normal settings. We are so used to driving the same routes that we just don't pay attention. We make errors and nothing happens enough times that we get even more lax and forget how easy an accident can occur, one almost every 30 minutes. A car accident can happen to you.


4. The major cause of car accidents is driver error. Only 18 percent of the car accidents in Missouri last year were the result of speeding. Although speed does increase the severity of a car accident, 40 percent of fatal accidents involved exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions.


5. It is actually safer to drive at the same rate or close to the same rate as the rest of the traffic. Anytime a vehicle is significantly faster or slower than traffic flow it creates a dangerous condition. From excessive lane changes to a driver being unable to anticipate or react to another car's different speed, these factors create accidents.


6. Alcohol and drug related car accidents account for 32 percent of car accidents in Missouri. The major cause of accidents is driver inattention. Any activity that prevents a driver from paying close and full attention to driving prevents safe driving. While 32 percent is still too high a number, the greater problem is distracted driving.