Car accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in Missouri. The massive force generated when a motor vehicle hits a pedestrian, cyclist, or another vehicle can cause disabling or even fatal injuries.
Columbia car accident statistics suggest that the city has fewer crashes than it should have based on its share of the state’s population. But car accidents still happen, and Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers can help when victims suffer injuries due to them.
If you were hurt in a collision in Columbia, MO, contact our law firm for a free case evaluation to discuss your legal rights. You can call us at (314) 444-4444.
How Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Columbia, MO
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers was founded in 2010 to represent injured clients in their pursuit of compensation from the parties who injured them. Our Columbia car accident lawyers have recovered over $100 million in financial compensation for accident victims like you.
If you suffer an injury caused by someone else’s negligent or intentional actions in Columbia, Missouri, our attorneys can provide the following:
- A free consultation to learn about your accident and explain your legal options
- A thorough investigation of your crash
- An aggressive strategy to settle your claims fairly
- Fearless litigators to take your case to trial if the other parties refuse to settle
Car accident injuries can disable you from working or participating in activities you enjoy. Contact our Columbia personal injury lawyers to discuss your accident and the compensation you may be entitled to seek under Missouri law.
Does Columbia Have Safe Roads?
The Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium reports statistics gathered from official records such as accident reports. According to this resource, Columbia had 1,299 traffic accidents in 2022, including six fatal crashes. You can look at these numbers in two ways to determine whether Columbia has safe roads.
First, Columbia has just over 128,500 residents, roughly 2% of Missouri’s population. But only about 1% of Missouri’s traffic accidents and 0.6% of the state’s fatal crashes happened in Columbia in 2022. Thus, drivers elsewhere in Missouri are twice as likely to crash and over three times more likely to die than drivers in Columbia.
Second, Columbia had seven traffic deaths in 2022, according to the compendium. From this number, you can calculate a traffic fatality rate for the city of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 residents. According to insurance industry statistics for 2021, this number is significantly lower than both the Missouri traffic fatality rate of 16.5 and the U.S. traffic fatality rate of 12.9.
By either measure, Columbia has relatively safe roads. However, traffic crashes still happen, and they still cause injuries and deaths on the city’s roads and intersections.
Car Accidents Statistics in Columbia, Missouri
The Missouri State Highway Patrol combines its MSHP reports with reports filed by police agencies across the state and releases those statistics publicly.
According to these reports, Columbia crashes in 2022 included:
- 41 pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents
- 186 single-vehicle accidents
- 1,072 multi-vehicle collisions
The city’s multi-vehicle collisions included:
- 130 commercial motor vehicle collisions
- 27 motorcycle crashes
The remaining collisions involved cars, pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs. The city did not report whether any buses or recreational vehicles were included in the count.
Crash Injuries and Fatalities
Columbia’s traffic accidents included:
- Six fatal accidents
- 382 non-fatal injury accidents
These crashes caused seven deaths and 523 injuries. Crash victims included 36 injured pedestrians and cyclists. The city did not have any pedestrian or cyclist deaths in 2022.
Causes of Crashes
Crashes in Columbia happen primarily due to dangerous driving behaviors.
Some examples of behaviors that cause traffic crashes include:
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Disobeying traffic signs and signals
- Speeding
- Following too closely
One of the most dangerous and preventable causes of traffic crashes results from impaired driving. According to the compendium, drivers intoxicated by drugs or alcohol caused one death and 29 injuries in Columbia.
Drivers who violate traffic laws will usually be liable for any injuries or deaths they cause. If multiple drivers contributed to the cause of the crash, each driver will get a share of the blame.
If a victim is partially at fault for a crash, their compensation will be reduced in proportion to their share of the blame. Thus, a driver who was 18% at fault for a collision can only get 82% of their losses compensated.
Crashes can also happen when drivers do something legal but unreasonably dangerous. For example, Missouri has no law against eating while driving. Drivers who crash due to eating and driving will probably not receive a traffic ticket. But they will probably be liable for the losses suffered by the crash victims.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Experienced Columbia Car Accident Attorneys
Car accidents can cause injuries that require expensive medical treatment and disable you from working. Contact Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to learn about the financial compensation you can seek for your injury-related losses.
