Anchorage Car Accident Statistics
According to Allstate’s America’s Best Drivers Report, Anchorage, Alaska, placed 32nd out of 200 cities. The most significant number from the report was that the city jumped 95 spots from 127th place in 2015. The average Anchorage driver’s time between car accidents is more than 10 years, over 2% below the national average.
However, good does not mean perfect. Anchorage car accident statistics show thousands of collisions every year, many of which cause injury or death. An Anchorage car accident lawyer from Farnsworth & Vance Personal Injury Lawyers will fight for compensation for your injury-related losses. Contact us today for a free consultation at (907) 290-8980.
How Farnsworth & Vance Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Anchorage, AK
The attorneys at Farnsworth & Vance have years of experience fighting for accident victims in Anchorage, Alaska. Our firm has successfully recovered millions of dollars for our injured clients.
When a negligent or aggressive driver injures you in a car accident, our lawyers provide the following assistance:
- Listening to you explain your injuries and helping you understand the law
- Assembling evidence to support your insurance claim against the at-fault driver
- Working to resolve your case through negotiation
- Taking your case to court if we cannot reach a settlement
You may suffer significant physical and financial costs after a car crash. Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an Anchorage personal injury lawyer to learn how we stand up to insurers and fight for our clients.
Statistics About Car Accidents In Anchorage
Anchorage provides annual accident statistics through its traffic engineering department. According to the city’s numbers, it had 2,395 total traffic accidents in 2023.
These crashes included the following:
- 2,262 vehicle accidents
- 74 bicycle accidents
- 57 pedestrian accidents
- Two non-motorized accidents
These numbers are fairly self-explanatory, with two exceptions.
First, the 2,262 vehicle accidents count all collisions, including:
- Collisions between two or more vehicles
- Collisions between vehicles and wildlife
- Single-vehicle crashes where a vehicle runs off the road, rolls over, or hits a fixed object
Second, the city did not explain the two non-motorized accidents that fall outside the definition of pedestrian and bike accidents. Some categories of devices that might have been involved in these two crashes include scooters, skateboards, golf carts, and electric wheelchairs.
Injuries and Deaths in Anchorage Crashes
According to the city’s statistics, Anchorage’s crashes produced the following outcomes:
- Seven fatal crashes
- 48 major injury crashes
- 797 minor injury crashes
- 1,543 non-injury crashes
These crash severities are determined based on the most severe injury observed at the scene. For example, a crash in which one person dies and another person is unconscious is categorized as a fatal crash even though one person survived.
These crashes caused the following injuries:
- Seven deaths
- 55 major injuries that disabled the victim, at least temporarily
- 1,107 minor injuries that were visible but not disabling
- 5,041 people who had no injuries or symptoms at the crash scene
These numbers differ from the crash numbers because crashes can affect more than one person. Also, the 5,041 people reported as uninjured did not necessarily escape unharmed. Since the crash statistics are based on police crash reports, some of these people might have experienced symptoms only after they left the crash site.
For example, concussions often cause delayed symptoms. Someone might feel fine at the accident scene but later experience the memory loss, confusion, and headaches characteristic of a brain injury.
Causes of Car Accidents in Anchorage
The city’s statistics do not list the most common causes of crashes in Alaska. However, the state releases data that can help identify some of the risky driving behaviors that lead to crashes in Anchorage.
Speeding
Speeding includes both traveling over the speed limit and going too fast for the conditions. Thus, traveling 45 miles per hour on icy roads might constitute speeding even if the speed limit is 55 miles per hour.
Speeding drivers can lose control of their vehicles. As a result, the vehicle can slide off the road or into another vehicle. High-speed vehicles also have more energy when they collide. A head-on crash that could merely cause minor injuries at 25 miles per hour might be fatal at 40 miles per hour.
Distracted Driving
Distracted drivers cannot see or react to nearby hazards because their eyes, hands, or minds are preoccupied with another task. Whether it is caused by cell use, eating, or talking to passengers, distracted driving can lead to single- and multi-vehicle accidents.
Drug and Alcohol Use
Drugs and alcohol can impair a driver’s reflexes and coordination. More importantly, these intoxicants can alter a driver’s judgment. As a result, drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol will make risky decisions, putting themselves and other road users at risk.
Contact Our Anchorage Auto Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
A crash in Anchorage can result in debilitating injuries that require expensive medical care. Contact Farnsworth & Vance Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with an Anchorage car accident attorney. We will review your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
Visit Our Law Firm for Car Accidents in Anchorage, AK
Farnsworth & Vance Personal Injury Lawyers – Anchorage
2525 Gambell St #410,
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 290-8980
Other Common Anchorage Car Accident Claims We Handle
Our law firm handles all types of car accident cases involving:
- Airbag Injuries
- Distracted Driving
- DUI
- Fatal Accidents
- Head-On Crashes
- Hit-and-Run Accidents
- Rear-End Crashes
