Most crashes aren't really accidents, they're someone's fault

To the editor:

In May of 2021, 19 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes. The 5-year average for the month of May is 14. The five-year average for the month of June is 15. Today, we stand at a loss of eight people, five over just this past weekend.

All these fatalities are extremely sad and very tragic and while we realize that not all involved are to blame, and that some people are truly unfortunate victims of someone else's driving behavior, we believe that if more road users were focused on safety, fewer lives would be lost.

Using the word accident instead of crash seems reasonable, given that we can assume that crashes are not intentional, but most crashes don't just happen. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver error is the main factor in 94% of collisions. Other than random "Acts of God", very few crashes are really accidents. Choosing to walk, ride or drive impaired, using distracting electronic devices, increasing your speed, being impatient and driving recklessly or aggressively, not taking that second look before moving forward or backward or turning, these are not unavoidable happenstance but are choices that can harm you or innocent others. The use of the word "accident" to describe a crash implies that no one was at fault or that they were powerless to change the circumstances, or that their choices did not play a part in the outcome.

In our effort to educate all road users, save lives from preventable crashes, and reduce or eliminate serious injuries and property damage, the Bureau of Highway Safety believes that simple changes to how we talk about crashes can help frame them as the serious events that they are, and play a part in reminding people that actions behind the wheel matter, their choices matter, and their lives matter.

Thank you for your continued commitment to transportation safety. Will you help us educate the public that crashes are not accidents?

- Lauren V. Stewart,

Director, Maine Bureau of Highway Safety