Nebraska Ranks 4th For At-Fault Drivers for 2022, Study Reports
Nebraska has the fourth-highest percentage of drivers who have caused a car accident of any state in the country, according to a recent study conducted by Insurify.
What does this mean exactly? And what can you do to stay safe on the road and hopefully avoid a collision in the future? Our Omaha car accident attorneys at Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. explore the answers to all these questions and provide more useful information below for drivers.
What is an at-fault accident?
As the phrase suggests, an at-fault accident occurs when one driver causes a collision. This means that one driver behaved in a reckless or negligent manner, including but not limited to:
- Speeding
- Running a red light or not stopping for a stop sign
- Rear-ending another vehicle
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Failing to signal before turning or changing lanes
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Falling asleep at the wheel
Most car accidents have at least one at-fault driver; very few are truly "accidents." Nationally, about 8.8% of drivers have at least one at-fault accident on their record in the last seven years, according to the Insurify study.
Why are there so many at-fault car accidents in Nebraska?
The recent Insurify study examined how many drivers in each state in 2022 had to disclose that they caused a collision in the past when applying for car insurance. The study was based on 4.6 million people applying for car insurance last year.
Nebraska was ranked the fourth-highest state in the country for the number of at-fault drivers who have collisions. 10.6 percent of Nebraska drivers had caused a collision in the past, which is 20 percent higher than the national average, Insurify reported.
So what types of collisions do drivers often cause in Nebraska? According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) accident data, common causes of car accidents in Nebraska include:
- Drunk driving, which resulted in 65 car accident fatalities in Nebraska in 2021.
- Speeding, which resulted in 36 car accident deaths in 2021.
- Hitting pedestrians, which resulted in 15 fatalities in Nebraska in 2021.
What can be done to prevent collisions in Nebraska?
Over the years, traffic safety experts have recommended many possible solutions for preventing car accidents in Nebraska. According to the Nebraska Department of Transportation in its most recent annual traffic crash report, such solutions include:
- Encourage more people to wear seatbelts when driving or riding in a car. An estimated 19 percent of motorists in Nebraska do not wear seatbelts.
- Focus on preventing vehicles from driving off the road by installing more rumble strips alongside roads and medians in between on-coming lanes. "Road departure” accidents are especially common in the state.
- Increase enforcement of impaired driving.
- Take steps to prevent intersection accidents, including adding turning lanes at intersections and adjusting the timing of traffic lights.
Why should I hire an Omaha car accident attorney?
Car accident claims in Nebraska often quickly turn into complicated legal cases. This is because the at-fault driver often denies doing anything wrong. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will do everything they can to pay you as little as possible or nothing at all. This is because there are often thousands of dollars or significantly more at stake.
Our Omaha pedestrian accident attorneys at Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. understand the seriousness and the complexity of such legal cases. That’s why we want to help. When you have our legal team on your side, you can demand the money you deserve. Because after a serious accident, the last thing you should have to worry about is how to pay for your accident expenses.
Get the Nebraska law firm that gets results. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with an Omaha car accident lawyer who can fight for justice for you. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only have to pay us if we secure a financial settlement or verdict for you. We handle injury claims throughout Nebraska.
