Which Countries Are You Safest on the Road?

Car accidents take place every now and then anywhere in the world. Each year, hundreds of people are killed in crashes involving all sizes of vehicles.

The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that injuries caused by road traffic accidents resulted in the death of 1.24 million people in 2010 alone. This means that for every 25 seconds, one person is killed. Of the people killed, a third of those that occurred in low and middle-income countries comprise cyclists and pedestrians.

Additionally, majority or 80 percent of deaths from road traffic accidents took place in middle-income countries. This alone already accounts for 72 percent of the world's population.

In the world health rankings of worldlifeexpectancy.com, African countries are in the top three spots for having the highest death rate per 100,000 in road traffic accidents. Namibia ranks first with 53.4 percent followed by Swaziland at 48.2 percent and Malawi at 45.4 percent.

Meanwhile, the most accident prone countries are in Europe. Belarus tops the list followed by France, Finland, Muldova and Hungary.

With these statistics revealed, which countries then can you travel safe?

Research shows that the top countries with the lowest fatality rates from vehicle accidents are Switzerland. Following behind are Netherlands, Antigua and Barbuda, Tonga and Israel. The rest that make up the top 10 list are Marshall Islands, Fiji, Malta, Tajikistan and Maldives.

The study entitled Mortality from Road Crashes in 193 countries: A Comparison with Other Leading Causes of Death was done by Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle. The two who are from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute looked into when and how people die taking into consideration the causes of death including diseases and car accidents.

When to Get Assistance

When you get involved in a car accident that result in serious and long-term injuries, it is important to get a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to assist you and answer your questions. With a legal counsel to provide the right information and assistance, you will be able to get through the negotiation process with less problems particularly when it concerns insurance claims and settlements.

A personal injury lawyer knows the law and should be able to advise you on the various aspects of your case. One of these is the time limit also known as statutes of limitations that you need to observe to be able to file a lawsuit against the driver at fault in the event you become a victim. Keep in mind that there's a time limit (two years after the car accident in some U.S. states) during which you are required to file a lawsuit. If you fail to do so within the given time period, you will be prohibited to file such lawsuit.

Road accidents commonly involve motorcycles, small and large trucks, public transportation, bicycles, boats and off-road vehicles and can cover issues such as negligence and liability. In order to get compensation, a person must prove that the damages incurred were caused by the driver's negligence.