The Federal Highway Administration reported that accidents involving motor vehicles are still the leading cause of death among Americans 34 years and younger. The costs of these accidents were estimated by the U.S. Department of Transportation to be around $230 billion annually. The National Highway Traffic Administration states that the number of fatalities in Colorado reached 465 in 2009. From 2005-2008, there was an average of 500 fatalities annually. According to a truck accident lawyer in Denver, light trucks have caused a significant percentage of these accidents.

Among the various causes of these highway accidents, alcohol, use of mobile phones while driving and other driver behaviors have been reported to be the most common. Depending on the type of accident, a legal expert in the Colorado statutes such as an auto accident lawyer in Denver or a truck accident lawyer in Denver should be consulted.

Alcohol

In Colorado, the NHTSA reported that 34% of the total number of vehicle crashes in 2009 is a result of alcohol impaired driving. Seventy-two percent of these incidents have occurred between midnight and 3 am. In some incidents, the high Blood Alcohol Content level of non-drivers has been the cause of the accidents. According to an auto accident lawyer in Denver, there are a significant number of cases where courts have held drunk pedestrians partly liable for the accident. An injury law firm in Denver said that the comparative negligence of the victim could be detrimental to his claim for compensation.

Use of Mobile Phones While Driving

A report by The New England Journal of Medicine released states that using a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of the driver crashing by 400%. Any auto accident lawyer in Denver will agree that the rate of crashes caused by drivers using mobile phones is as high as the number of accidents caused by a drunk driver with a 0.1 BAC level.

At this point, only New York has passed a bill prohibiting the use of mobile phones while driving. As expected, the major phone companies are the strongest opponents to the suggested legislation.

Other Driver Behaviors

Inappropriate driving behavior and bad decisions are the catalyst for the increased frequency of accidents over the last decade. Stopping in the left lane, backing up, speeding and poor vehicle maintenance are also reported to be common causes of highway accidents.

In Colorado, fatalities caused by trucks went up in the last two years. Considering the complexity of truck accidents, it is often inevitable to hire a truck accident lawyer in Denver because there could be at least three defendants held liable - namely the owner, driver and the manufacturer. Hiring an experienced injury law firm in Denver could be crucial in winning the lawsuit in such cases.