Are Fatal, Single Vehicle Car Accidents Common?

The majority of fatal car accidents in the United States in 2008 involved only one vehicle. The majority of crashes were caused by excessive speed or drunk driving, although distraction — usually from cellphone usage — played a role as well.

More facts about car accidents:

• Although there are more than 6 million car accidents a year in the U.S., fatalities are going down. In 2008, fatalities were at a record low since 1961.


• It is estimated that one person is injured in a car accident every 14 seconds in the U.S.


• The states that routinely have the most automobile fatalities are Texas and California, both of which regularly report more than 3,000 fatalities a year. The states with the fewest fatalities are Rhode Island and Alaska, both of which have about 60 fatal crashes a year.