Car accidents in Indiana often occur on certain types of roads and highways, according to a recent nationwide study that compared the accident rates for different types of roads from one state to another.
Where do the most fatal car accidents happen in Indiana?
So, which roads are the most dangerous in Indiana? The study revealed local streets, in particular, are the most dangerous compared to other states. The fatality rate for local streets in Indiana was rated the 9th highest nationwide by traffic safety researchers at MoneyGeek.
Local streets in Indiana have 9th highest traffic fatality rate
Traffic safety researchers at MoneyGeek analyzed the car accident fatality rate for five different types of roads and highways in every state nationwide. Researchers then compared each state to determine which state has the highest fatality rate for each type of road.
The study was based on car accident fatality data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for each state from 2019 to 2021. During that period, 31.5 percent or 764 deaths total occurred on local streets, which researchers defined as local roads with speed limits of 20 to 45 mph. The 31.5 percent fatality rate was the 9th highest nationwide.
How dangerous are other types of roads in Indiana?
Along with local streets, researchers compiled each state's car accident fatality rate for four other types of roads. Of the 2,423 car accident deaths in Indiana between 2019 and 2021, the remaining crashes occurred on the following types of roads:
- State highways (high-speed roads maintained by the state) – 24 percent of Indiana car accident fatalities.
- County roads (roads maintained by town or municipality) – 17.6 percent.
- U.S. highways (high-speed roads maintained by the federal government) – 15.3 percent.
- Interstate highways (high-speed roads that connect state-to-state traffic) – 11.6 percent of car accident deaths.
Car accident fatalities on the rise in Indiana
Along with having one of the highest local street fatality rates in the country, car accident deaths in general in Indiana have increased dramatically in the past decade. Between 2012 and 2021, car accident fatalities overall in Indiana have increased by 19.3 percent, according to NHTSA data.
What's the explanation? Some of the reasons why car accident deaths in Indiana have increased in the last decade include:
- Speeding – 36.2 percent increase from 2012 to 2021 statewide.
- Drunk driving – 1.7 percent increase during the same period.
In addition, the death toll for certain types of accidents has soared higher as well, especially when it comes to pedestrian accidents in Indiana, which increased by 88.1 percent between 2012 and 2021 statewide.
Legal options for crash victims after a car accident
Many times, claims involving car accidents seem straightforward at first. This is especially true if another driver caused your collision. Unfortunately, car accident injury claims can quickly turn into complicated legal cases.
Sometimes, the driver who caused your crash denies doing anything wrong or tries to blame you. Other times, it's the at-fault driver's insurance company that's the problem. They will often do everything they can to reduce or deny your claim rather than simply compensate you for their losses. Remember, the insurance company is a for-profit business, and they often care more about protecting their bottom line.
Our Indiana car accident lawyers at Glaser & Ebbs, Attorneys At Law know how to handle insurance companies and navigate tough legal cases. That's because we have been doing this work for years. Whether you're dealing with a rear-end collision in Indianapolis or a highway accident somewhere else in the state, we can help.
Contact our law firm and schedule a free case evaluation with an Indiana car accident attorney you can count on in a crisis. We have six offices conveniently located throughout Indiana, including Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. We also work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no fees unless we win your case.