According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, people who drive older cars are more likely to be killed in an accident than those who drive newer cars. Specifically, those who are driving a car that is 18 years or older have a 71 percent greater chance of being in a fatal accident than someone driving a car that is three years old or newer. Iowa parents of young drivers who are looking for an affordable used vehicle might want to take these statistics into account.
The NHTSA study did take into account other variables such as driver age and how much alcohol a driver may have had before getting behind the wheel. It also took into account the time of day and how fast a driver may have been going when a crash occurred. The type of road a crash took place on as well as whether a driver was wearing a seat belt was also looked at.
As a general rule, those who wear their seat belts are less likely to die in a crash regardless of what type of car that they were driving. In fact, the study concluded that not wearing a seat belt negated being in a newer car. Those who were driving a newer car without a seat belt had a 26 percent chance of dying in a crash compared to 46 percent in a 19-year-old car.
Those who are involved in an accident caused by a drunk or distracted driver may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. An attorney may review witness statements, police reports and other evidence to determine if negligence played a role in an accident. If it did, compensation may be available to pay medical bills and to recoup lost wages or lost future earnings.