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Drivers, battling with rush hour each morning, could be shocked to hear that despite the growing number of vehicles on the road, car crash figures show a decrease in accidents and fatalities. While a decreasing tendency may bring a small peace of mind to motorists, the number of annual accidents remains greater than it should be.

The figures change, however, driving behaviors remain problematic. A car accident attorney explains it nicely, "Car crash statistics show the sad reality that many families suffer from preventable injuries or even deaths. When drivers are simply not careful enough behind the wheel." With the number of commuters at all-time large, within the last 10-20 years, driving customs have to continue to evolve when we want to continue to see a decreasing trend in car accidents.

A Closer Look in Statistics. According to Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the national tendency regarding fatal car accidents has decreased considerably between the years 2001-2011. Though the there was a slight increase approximately at the five year mark, the number of fatalities continued to drop after the halfway mark. Year and Fatalities are as followed.2001: 38, 491, 2002: 38, 491, 2003: 38, 477, 2004: 38, 444, 2005: 39, 252, 2006: 38, 648, 2007: 37, 435, 2008: 34, 172, 2009: 30, 862, 2010: 30, 296, 2011: 29, 757. Seat Belts: To many of us, not wearing a seat belt in a vehicle is like, well, maybe not wearing a seat belt in an automobile! Many of us were raised to buckle it up was ingrained in our brains by the Crash Test Dummy Duo.

In a report published by the CDC, approximately half of all auto crash fatalities could have been prevented if the driver or passenger would have worn a seat belt. Many nations have the "Click or Ticket" coverage, but many drivers might not understand the significance of a seat belt until all states make it a primary law and hopefully not before it is too late. Drivers and their driving habits are in need of change also while lawmakers are attempting to make our roadways a more secure location, drivers will need to initiate change. Adult drivers should be good role models for budding, young drivers.

Young drivers must view driving as a privilege, not a social event. The next time you get behind the wheel, then honestly assess your own driving behaviors. Do you wear a seat belt? Do you flip over the keys when you've had alcohol? Do you maintain your phone from reach and distractions to a minimum? As you cannot alter the way that others push, a change could start with you. Help to keep accident fatalities at an all-time reduced.

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