According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most fatal car accidents happen within 25 miles of your home. For nonfatal accidents, more than half (52%) occur within 5 miles of the home, and around 77% take place within 15 miles of a driver’s home.
No matter how you look at it, the majority of car accidents occur close to home.
Urban vs. Rural Roads
Nationwide, fatal crashes occur slightly more often in urban areas, but the data varies by state. In New Hampshire, for example, fatal crashes are more common in rural areas – in 2019, 42% of fatal accidents occurred in urban areas, and 58% of fatalities occurred in rural areas.
Drivers may become drowsy on long trips, be less alert, or drive too fast on long stretches of open road. In the United States, 53% of the motor vehicle fatalities in 2019 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, which shows that safe driving is important – even when no one else is on the road.
Intersections
Many of the car accidents that do occur in urban areas happen at intersections or on roads with speed limits of 40 mph or less. Drivers often rear-end each other at stoplights, get confused about who has right of way, and make risky turns.
Whether drivers are too distracted to hit the brakes on time or turn left when they do not have enough time to complete the maneuver, car accidents frequently happen at intersections.
Drivers may also run red lights and disregard the rules at intersections when they drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
In New Hampshire, some of the most dangerous intersections include Beech Street and Cilley Road in Manchester, and Main Street and East/West Hollis Street in Nashua.
Traffic
Nobody likes sitting in traffic, and when you’re surrounded by other cars, one wrong move could mean a car crash. In addition to fender benders and rear-end accidents, traffic is often a motivator in aggressive driving behaviors. Drivers who go too fast for conditions or weave in and out of traffic can cause serious accidents, and some drivers even use their cars as weapons to get “revenge” on other drivers.
Traffic jams can be especially common on State Route 101 near Manchester and Interstate 93 near Concord and Manchester.
Remember, traffic – and road conditions – will always be worse during the winter, and with summer construction, you should always plan for delays!
Where To Go If You Get Hurt
No matter where your accident takes place, you should always go to the hospital if you have serious injuries and see a doctor even if you don’t feel hurt.
You may also want to meet with an attorney if you need help recovering compensation for your medical bills, missed wages, and other accident-related losses.
In New Hampshire, you can always turn to Douglas, Leonard & Garvey, P.C. With over 140 years of collective legal experience and offices in Portsmouth and Concord, we have been serving the state since 1997.
Our team is ready to fight for you. All you need to do is call us at (603) 288-1403 or contact us online to get started today.