Naturally, the odds of being killed in a car accident are not the same for everyone. Things like the number of vehicle miles traveled have to be factored in. Someone who works out of a home office and doesn’t drive during the week is in less danger of being hit and killed by another driver than someone who commutes an hour to work every day — and an hour home at night.

That being said, looking at the strict odds can be eye-opening, showing you just how common car accidents are. According to one report, car accidents take about a dozen lives per every 100,000 people. That statistic is based on 37,195 car accident deaths in a year.

How does it stack up against other common killers? You have about the same odds of dying due to septicemia or liver disease.

Car accidents are also only a small portion of the total accidental deaths. On the whole, accidents rank fourth in the United States, taking 136,053 lives per year. That’s 43 fatalities per every 100,000 people. The only three things that are higher are cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease.

One other important statistic to throw into the mix is that pedestrian deaths take two lives for every 100,000 people, or 6,258 in a year, according to the same study. This further shows just how dangerous the roads can be in Illinois.

Have you lost a loved one in a car accident? You may be facing significant financial challenges at this very difficult time, and it’s wise to know if you have a right to compensation.

Source: Live Science, “The Odds of Dying,” Laura Geggel, accessed Sep. 05, 2017