According to the National Safety Council (NSC), fatal car crashes rose by nearly 8 percent and killed more than 38,000 people in 2015. Nearly all were due to the negligence of one person or another – a red light runner, a distracted driver, someone intoxicated behind the wheel – and yet we often call these crashes “accidents.” One advocacy group is striving to change all of that. They want crashes to be seen for what they really are: a devastating situation where one person is a victim and the other is at fault.

Why Change the Wording?

Calling car crashes “accidents” might seem inconsequential, but society has a way of getting hung on up the words. So, when a crash is called an accident, it sounds like something that could not be foreseen or prevented. This is rarely the case. In fact, studies have found that human error is a factor in 94 percent of all crashes. Only 6 percent can be attributed to vehicle malfunctions, weather, or other factors. Doing away with the word “accident” reminds everyone – including lawmakers – that most car crashes are preventable, avoidable, and – more importantly – someone’s fault.

In less than a two-week period, three people were killed along I-41 in Wisconsin. As a result, state patrol issued a warning, asking drivers to be cautious and slow down in construction zones. However, so many accidents within the same area suggest drivers may not be the only ones at fault. In some cases, these accidents may be a matter of construction zone negligence.

Safety in Construction Zones

As a driver, you must do your part of staying safe within construction zones. Stay alert, avoid distractions, buckle up, slow down, and watch for suddenly changing terrain and lanes. Also, it is critical that you keep an eye out for road workers, trouble up ahead, and avoid following the driver in front of you too closely. This can help protect you within a construction zone. However, there are also circumstances that may be out of your control. In these instances, you may be due compensation.

When accidents happen, victims need all the protection they can get. A recent study suggests that safety updates in vehicles, particularly those made to seatbelts and airbags, provide a certain level of risk reduction. However, injuries can and do still happen to auto accident victims. As such, it is important that you know what to do, should an accident happen to you.

Risk of Facial Fractures Reduced, but Not Eliminated

Using data from the National Trauma Data Bank, researchers from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center examined the risk of facial fractures among auto accident victims. What they found was that, out of 518,106 accident victims, 56,422 had suffered at least one facial fracture. Seatbelts were used by about 27 percent, 6 percent had an airbag, and 9 percent had both.

Earlier this year, legislation proposed a $4 billion investment into getting self-driving cars. However, the recent death of a Tesla driver, some problematic matters regarding the autonomous nature of driving, and cost factors highlight some pretty disturbing issues with self-driving cars. In fact, it is highly possible that drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists could be at a higher risk of auto accident death or injury if self-driving cars made their way into the mainstream auto industry.

Tesla Driver’s Death

Allegedly known for pushing the limits of his vehicle, a Tesla driver recently crashed into a left-turning tractor trailer. Reportedly watching Harry Potter at the time, his vehicle failed to maneuver him into safety. Like him, drivers of self-driving cars may abandon their commitment to the road altogether. This opens up a slew of problems, including an increased risk of accident to other drivers and to pedestrians and cyclists whose actions and movements can be highly unpredictable.

 Parents who are eco- or spend-savvy often turn to used baby items to reduce cost and/or their environmental footprint, but there are some used items that may be dangerous. Car seats are at the top of that list because they may place baby at unnecessary risk in an automobile accident. This is especially true when it comes to purchasing a used car seat from a second-hand store or someone you do not know. The following will help you understand that risk and how you can increase your chances of finding a safe car seat for your baby.