"Drunk-driver in incredible escape after 6ft wooden post smashes through windscreen"
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Over 1.2 million people die in road accidents and between 20 and 50 million people get injured every year around the globe.
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Over 90% of accident deaths occur in low and middle income countries. And these countries only account for 48% of the world's vehicles.
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50% of people who die in road accidents are pedestrians, cyclists and motorbike users.
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The estimated cost of accidents to governments world wide is $518 billion.
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Globally, more than half of the total accidents that occur are with drivers between the age of 15 and 44 years, and the drivers in more than 73% of cases are males.
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Research shows that most of the accidents occur due to reckless driving and intoxication. In the US, about 70 to 80 people die every day due to accidents related to alcohol.
1. Intoxication
Many accidents are caused by drivers who are intoxicated from alcohol or drugs.
The weather can cause bad visibility or cause bad traction on the road surface which can lead to vehicles colliding with each other.
Probably the largest cause of road traffic accidents currently is driver error. These range from following cars too closely, falling asleep at the wheel, driving too fast, unsafe overtaking and many other careless and unnecessary mistakes.
4. Distractions
This is linked to driver error but is more about the driver being distracted by something outside the car or inside the car such as changing cds and looking at your mobile phone etc
This is when a part of the road or traffic control has been poorly placed or designed and can lead to increased accidents in the area. This could be anything from poorly placed signs blocking your view of incoming traffic at intersections to dangerous turnings off of busy roads.
Sometimes a road traffic accident will be caused by a defect in the driver's vehicle i.e. brake failure.
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