The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has pulled together data for 2012 on driver license status in fatal car accidents. Below are some of its key findings:
- 19 percent of fatalities involved drivers with invalid licenses.
- 13 percent of all drivers involved in fatal accidents had invalid licenses.
- Motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were most likely to have invalid licenses.
- Crashes during the night were more likely to involve drivers with invalid licenses.
- Operators of large trucks or buses were least likely to have invalid licenses.
- Male drivers were more likely to have invalid licenses than females.
- Drivers between the ages of 21 to 34 had the highest proportion of invalid licenses.
Why Do People Drive with Invalid Licenses?
There are many reasons why a driver may not have a valid license. Unfortunately, the NHTSA admits that its data does not offer a reason for why a driver had an invalid license at the time of a fatal accident. Although it does not have specific reasons, there are some possible explanations:
- A driver neglected to renew his or her license on time;
- The driver had a suspended or revoked license (the license could have been suspended due to driving and/or non-driving violations);
- The driver never obtained a license;
- The driver did not obtain a license or endorsement for the type of vehicle involved in the fatal crash.
Sadly, the NHTSA says that some of these invalid driver license holders have a history of bad driving, which is why they have an invalid license in the first place.
If you lost a loved one in a wreck that was caused by a driver with an invalid license, talk to an experienced attorney regarding your case by calling 1 (800) 336-6000.
Did You Know? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 13 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes were driving with an invalid license.