Road Traffic Accidents
All across Warrington, road traffic accidents and incidents can result in minor to life-altering injuries for people and their families.
1.46 billion vehicle miles were traveled on roads in Warrington in 2020. Research carried out during Global Safety Week in May 2022 highlighted that Warrington ranked 8th as one of the most dangerous places to drive in the North West, with 1,061 people being hurt in collisions.
In road traffic accidents, also called RTAs (road traffic accidents), compensation may be available for the following types of injuries:
- You are injured
- Costs associated with medical care
- Fees for general services
- Incapacity to earn
- When the other driver is uninsured, we provide MIB (Motor Insurers Bureau) assistance.
- Have your vehicle replaced, repaired, or lost and used.
- Insurance policy for excesses
What’s the legal definition of a road traffic accident?
Using a motor vehicle on the road or in a public place can result in a road traffic accident.
The road safety charity Brake reports that someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads every 22 minutes. In spite of the pandemic, 1516 people were killed on the roads in 2020. Despite lockdown measures, this statistic remains alarming.
Types of RTA accidents
Car
As approximately 80% of all road traffic in the UK is driven by cars, it is not surprising that the majority of road deaths are those of car occupants.
In 2020, 42% of road deaths occurred when fewer vehicles were on the road. Car accidents seriously injured almost 4,000 adults between the ages of 25 and 59.
Motorbike
There were 1.27 million motorcycles registered in the UK in 2020, and there were 30% fewer fatal motorcycle accidents. On average, motorbike accidents happen every year, with negligence being responsible for 80% of them.
However, it is not always the driver’s or rider’s fault for the negligence. Several factors can cause highway accidents, including potholes, debris, defects, and oil spills.
Friday is the most dangerous day of the week for motorbike accidents, with 92% of all accidents involving males.
Eighty-four percent of motorbike accidents involved a car as well. The most common causes of accidents were poor turning, maneuvering, and failing to anticipate the bike’s movement.
Bus
Almost 4.5 billion bus trips were made across the country in 2021, and the vast majority were completely safe and incident-free. However, accidents do happen.
According to the Department for Transport, 1,774 bus and coach fatalities occurred in the UK in 2021. In passenger accident claims, head and neck injuries are common. The symptoms of emotional trauma and PTSD can be as severe as those caused by spinal cord injuries and back injuries.
In addition to passengers, pedestrians and other road users are also at risk.
Train
Even though it is frightening to think about a train accident or an incident on a rail track, the government’s statistics for rail incidents and safety indicate 18 deaths combined for passengers and the public in 2021. However, it’s not a pleasant thought. There were 438 severe and specified injuries among passengers and the general public in 2021, including over 60 shock and trauma victims.
An individual can file a personal injury claim following a rail accident, depending on the severity of the accident and the injuries suffered.
Bicycle
Each year, a cyclist is killed on the UK’s roads, 33 suffer serious injuries, and 103 suffer minor injuries. More than 6.5 million cyclists use UK roads every year.
Cycling injuries can result from bicycle component failure, being knocked by a vehicle, or being thrown from a bicycle when hitting a pothole.
eBikes and eScooters
Since eBikes are convenient, and government schemes have made them more popular, their popularity has increased. A study by Shimano found that 38% of respondents preferred eBikes to public transportation.
It is inevitable that more incidents will occur as popularity increases. On bike-friendly roads, eBike-related accidents and injuries have increased, according to a study in the Netherlands. As a result, eBike riders visited A&E 1.6 times more often than regular cyclists.
The number of serious injuries caused by eBike riders in 2021 increased from 129 in 2020 to 390, demonstrating both their popularity and the number of accidents.
Is there a limit on when I can pursue my RTA claim?
There is a three-year time limit for filing a claim for a road traffic accident. Injured children have three years from their 18th birthday to file a lawsuit. Contact our serious injury team if you need advice on fatal accidents or cases in which the injured person lacks mental capacity (either before or after the accident).
Get in touch with us as soon as possible if you have suffered a motorcycle injury or any other RTA injury.
Our team at the Warrington office can help you seek justice and ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to. We have years of experience handling two-wheel, four-wheel, and pedestrian accidents.
Whether you have been involved in a road traffic accident, we will provide you with empathetic and professional service.
To start your claim
Call Warrington Solicitors 01925 320 609