The U.S. Department of Transportation has tracked non-in-traffic injuries and fatalities between 2008 and 2011. By definition, vehicle crashes “that occur off the public traffic ways” are termed to be nontraffic crashes. What do you need to know about these accidents? Our wrongful death lawyer has answers.

• Nontraffic accidents kill passersby and bystanders. Statistics show that 39 percent of those who die in this type of accident are not occupants of the vehicle. This may refer to pedestrians or bicyclists.
• Large number of injuries to passersby. In addition to this statistic, another 35 percent of those injured in the crashes are those not riding in the car at the time of the accident.
• Number of fatal forward-moving collisions increases. In 2011, there were 280 cases of non-occupants who were killed when a vehicle moved forward. This number is up from 223 in 2010.
• Backing-over death rates are dropping. Perhaps it is because of back-up camera technology now becoming more popular; 2011 saw 189 fatal back-over accidents, compared to the 267 of 2010.
• Occupants died overwhelmingly in single-vehicle crashes. Of vehicle occupants who died, 99 percent were involved in a single-vehicle crash.
• Injuries suffered by non-occupants highest with forward-moving cars. The figures show that forward-moving vehicles hit 51 percent of pedestrians or bicyclists injured in nontraffic crashes whereas 39 percent experienced injuries from cars that were backing up.

If you were an injured party in one of these collisions, you may be entitled to compensation. If a loved one suffered a wrongful death, working with an attorney to protect the family’s rights is crucial. Contact us today to learn more about your options in nontraffic crashes.