Unexpected car accidents are often caused by human error, such as texting while driving or operating a defective vehicle. Car accidents can result in various outcomes, from minor injuries and vehicle damage to catastrophic injuries. According to the data, car accidents can result in significant property damage and even fatalities.

Data on car accidents in Wasilla and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are handled by the Alaska Highway Safety Office (NHTSA). According to the office, there are 280 car accidents yearly in Wasilla, Alaska, and 680 people will die in car accidents in 2021.

How many car accidents have taken place in Wasilla?

There have been 160 car accidents in Wasilla, Alaska, as of 2022. Of those, 49 fatal accidents have resulted in 20 deaths. In addition, there have been 54 major injury accidents and 57 minor injury accidents.

What are the contributing factors to car accidents?

Because it varies on the individual and their habits, it is difficult to identify the riskiest reason for a car accident. For instance, a driver intoxicated or high on drugs is significantly more likely to be involved in a car accident than a sober driver. 

Knowing the contributing factors to car accidents is essential to help prevent them. Some common contributing factors include:

  • Excessive Speeding: Speed is a significant car accidents cause. It compromises the driver’s ability to control the vehicle and increases the chance of losing control and crashing. There have been 280 car accidents in Wasilla, Alaska in the past year. Of those accidents, 100 were caused by overspeeding. That’s over 36% of all car accidents in Wasilla being caused by speeding.
  • Distracted driving: Distracted driving, such as texting or talking on the phone, is a dangerous behavior that contributes to 15% of all car accidents in Wasilla. It takes the driver’s attention away from the road and increases the chance of making mistakes.
  • Running red lights: Research found that compared to the rest of Alaska, Wasilla, Alaska, had a much greater rate of drivers who ran red lights. According to the survey, only 3% of drivers across Alaska and 6% in Wasilla ran red lights.
  • Vehicle Defects Statistics: In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a study on Wasilla, Alaska’s statistics for automobile problems. According to the research, Wasilla, Alaska, has 20% more reported car faults than all other Alaskan communities combined.
  • Fatigue can be just as dangerous as impaired driving because it also decreases reaction time and impairs judgment. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes that could lead to an accident by 60%.
  • Loose Tire Accidents: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that tire-related incidents in Wasilla result in 55 fatalities per year. This is the same as one fatality brought on by tire-related accidents per week.
  • Driving Under the Influence: Drunk driving is a severe problem in Alaska. It affects all towns, including little ones like Wasilla, not just huge metropolises. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10% of the drivers in fatal accidents in Wasilla, Alaska, were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision.

Types of Car Accidents

One thousand car accidents per year, on average, occur in Alaska. In Wasilla, the following categories of car accidents are frequent:

Collisions at Intersections

These take place when two vehicles collide at a crosswalk or an intersection. These collisions account for roughly 82 crashes in Wasilla each year, or 20% of all vehicle collisions in the city.

Single Vehicle Collisions

These occur when one car veers off the road and crashes into something like a tree or a pole. About 10% of all vehicle collisions in Wasilla occur on average yearly in this category, which occurs 60 times a year.

Head-On Collisions

In Wasilla, Alaska, head-on collisions are a prevalent problem. There have been increasingly more head-on collisions throughout the city. According to the statistics, there were 200 head-on collisions in 2018 and 150 in 2020.

Side-Impact Car Accidents

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), side-impact collisions are among the most frequent collision types in Wasilla, Alaska. Their analysis states that these car accidents make up roughly 20% of all nonfatal crashes and 40% of all fatal wrecks.

Rear-end Collisions

Wasilla, Alaska experiences more rear-end crashes than any other place in the country. Rear-end collisions were the cause of 136 collisions in 2021, which resulted in 18 fatalities and 120 injuries.

Rollover Accidents

The statistics on rollover accidents in Wasilla, Alaska, are concerning, having increased by over 40% in the previous five years.

The data from recent car accidents in Wasilla, Alaska, show a need for improved safety measures. The number of accidents has increased significantly in the past year, and many have been severe. This trend must be reversed through safety measures like obeying the speed limit and avoiding drinking and driving.