The victim of a Connecticut car accident may be able to collect financial compensation for his or her losses, including property damage, pain and suffering, medical bills, estimated future medical expenses, lost wages, and lost income potential.
The car accident attorneys in Hartford at Jackson O’Keefe addresses the needs of people who are injured in Connecticut no matter how severe the injury. The law firm has years of experience, a record of success, and the resources to help you recover fair compensation. After an automobile accident it is essential for you and your family to regain the physical and emotional stability you lost due to an accident. Let the Jackson O’Keefe firm, and its team of lawyers, address your legal concerns while you focus on recovery. For more information, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
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The Connecticut Road System
As of 2007, the Connecticut State Highway System had a total of 3,719 miles of roadway. The number of licensed drivers increased from 2. 1 million in 1979 to 2. 8 million in 2007. Total vehicle registrations increased from under 2. 3 million to just over 3 million in 2007. The total annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in Connecticut increased from 19. 4 billion in 1979 to 32. 1 billion in 2007. This includes rural VMT of about 5 billion in 1979 and 4 billion in 2007, and urban VMT of 14. 4 billion in 1979 and 28 billion in 2007. The average annual VMT for a licensed driver was 9,222 in 1979 and 11,252 in 2007.
In Connecticut, auto accidents frequently happen on the Interstate and State Highways: I-84, I-91, Route 2, Route 6, Route 44, I-395, I-95, I-291, I-384, Route 85, Route 17, Route 14 and Route 12. The Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) runs southwest to northeast along the coast, and Interstates 84, 91, and 395 further service the inbound and outbound traffic trying to reach New York, Boston, or points further south. Other major road systems include the Merritt Parkway and the Wilbur Cross Parkway, which combine to form Connecticut State Route 15, which begin from the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York but turn north to New Haven and ending as a surface street in Berlin. Interstate 95 is one of the most heavily traveled and congested highways in America because of the traffic to and from New York and increasing population density.
Connecticut Motor Vehicle Accidents – The Statistics
According to reports by the Connecticut legislature in 1985, there were 115,427 accidents reported in Connecticut. In 2006, there were 71,724 reported accidents. The law requires only certain accidents to be reported, but the definition of a reportable accident in 1985 was different than in 2006, which may account for some of the decrease in 2006. In 1985, motor vehicle operators were responsible by law to file an accident report in certain circumstances with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The law also required police authorities to file a copy of all police-investigated traffic accidents when the investigation was completed. The law defined a reportable accident as a motor vehicle accident in which someone was killed or injured or incurred over $ 600 in property damage. As of October 1, 1990, operators are no longer required to file accident reports.
Sixteen towns were among the 20 towns with the most reported accidents in both 1985 and 2006: Bridgeport, Bristol, Danbury, East Hartford, Fairfield, Greenwich, Manchester, Milford, New Haven, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, Waterbury, and Westport. The top seven towns were the same in both years, although their ranking changed slightly: Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury.
The 20 towns with the most reported traffic accidents in 1985 accounted for 50% of all accidents reported in the state. In 2006, they accounted for 47% of all reported accidents. The top seven towns were the same in both years, although their ranking changed slightly: Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury. Table 1 ranks the 20 towns with the most reported accidents in 1985 and 2006 in descending order.
Table 1: The 20 Towns with the Most Reported Traffic Accidents, 1985 and 2006
1985 | 2006 |
Rank | Town | Accidents # (% of state) | Rank | Town | Accidents # (% of state) |
1 | Hartford | 8,353 (7. 2%) | 1 | New Haven | 3,425 (4. 9%) |
2 | Waterbury | 5,870 (5. 1%) | 2 | Bridgeport | 3,137 (4. 4%) |
3 | New Haven | 4,090 (3. 5%) | 3 | Waterbury | 2,672 (3. 7%) |
4 | Norwalk | 4,065 (3. 5%) | 4 | Hartford | 2,537 (3. 5%) |
5 | Bridgeport | 3,457 (3. 0%) | 5 | Norwalk | 2,224 (3. 1%) |
6 | Stamford | 2,794 (2. 4%) | 6 | Stamford | 2,186 (3. 1%) |
7 | Danbury | 2,569 (2. 2%) | 7 | Danbury | 2,216 (3. 0%) |
8 | East Hartford | 2,519 (2. 2%) | 8 | Hamden | 1,320 (1. 8%) |
9 | Manchester | 2,448 (2. 1%) | 9 | Stratford | 1,284 (1. 8%) |
10 | Bristol | 2,291 (2. 0%) | 10 | Greenwich | 1,259 (1. 8%) |
11 | West Hartford | 2,204 (1. 9%) | 11 | West Haven | 1,235 (1. 7%) |
12 | Milford | 2,196 (1. 9%) | 12 | East Hartford | 1,153 (1. 6%) |
13 | Greenwich | 2,085 (1. 8%) | 13 | Meriden | 1,124 (1. 6%) |
14 | New Britain | 2,053 (1. 8%) | 14 | Wallingford | 1,123 (1. 6%) |
15 | Stratford | 1,913 (1. 7%) | 15 | Westport | 1,121 (1. 6%) |
16 | Westport | 1,750 (1. 5%) | 16 | Manchester | 1,109 (1. 6%) |
17 | Groton | 1,748 (1. 5%) | 17 | Milford | 1,088 (1. 5%) |
18 | Fairfield | 1,737 (1. 5%) | 18 | Fairfield | 1,074 (1. 5%) |
19 | Norwich | 1,619 1. 4%) | 19 | Norwich | 1,071 (1. 5%) |
20 | Wallingford | 1,605 (1. 4%) | 20 | Bristol | 1,028 (1. 4%) |
TOTAL (% of all in state) | 57,366 (50%) | TOTAL (% of all in state) | 33,386 (47%) |
Traffic Accidents by Town – 1985 AND 2006
The following Table compares accidents that occurred on Connecticut’s publicly maintained roadways by town for 1985 and 2006. For its 1985 report, the Connecticut DOT obtained data from the Connecticut DMV. For its 2006 report, the DOT obtained data solely from police accident reports.
1985 | 2006 |
Town | Total | % of Total | Total | % of Total |
Andover | 87 | 0. 1% | 36 | 0. 05% |
Ansonia | 388 | 0. 3% | 171 | 0. 24% |
Ashford | 96 | 0. 1% | 58 | 0. 08% |
Avon | 528 | 0. 5% | 295 | 0. 41% |
Barkhamsted | 125 | 0. 1% | 72 | 0. 10% |
Beacon Falls | 90 | 0. 1% | 70 | 0. 10% |
Berlin | 341 | 0. 3% | 421 | 0. 59% |
Bethany | 116 | 0. 1% | 75 | 0. 10% |
Bethel | 379 | 0. 3% | 313 | 0. 44% |
Bethlehem | 45 | 0. 0% | 20 | 0. 03% |
Bloomfield | 669 | 0. 6% | 530 | 0. 74% |
Bolton | 154 | 0. 1% | 116 | 0. 16% |
Bozrah | 62 | 0. 1% | 45 | 0. 06% |
Branford | 1,038 | 0. 9% | 697 | 0. 97% |
Bridgeport | 3,457 | 3. 0% | 3,137 | 4. 37% |
Bridgewater | 31 | 0. 0% | 29 | 0. 04% |
Bristol | 2,291 | 2. 0% | 1,028 | 1. 43% |
Brookfield | 587 | 0. 5% | 418 | 0. 58% |
Brooklyn | 161 | 0. 1% | 109 | 0. 15% |
Burlington | 158 | 0. 1% | 131 | 0. 18% |
Canaan | 25 | 0. 0% | 18 | 0. 03% |
Canterbury | 57 | 0. 0% | 50 | 0. 07% |
Canton | 393 | 0. 3% | 244 | 0. 34% |
Chaplin | 58 | 0. 1% | 36 | 0. 05% |
Cheshire | 837 | 0. 7% | 592 | 0. 83% |
Chester | 118 | 0. 1% | 57 | 0. 08% |
Clinton | 235 | 0. 2% | 85 | 0. 12% |
Colchester | 250 | 0. 2% | 219 | 0. 31% |
Colebrook | 36 | 0. 0% | 17 | 0. 02% |
Columbia | 109 | 0. 1% | 69 | 0. 10% |
Cornwall | 43 | 0. 0% | 30 | 0. 04% |
Coventry | 206 | 0. 2% | 194 | 0. 27% |
Cromwell | 509 | 0. 4% | 403 | 0. 56% |
Danbury | 2,569 | 2. 2% | 2,126 | 2. 96% |
Darien | 754 | 0. 7% | 667 | 0. 93% |
Deep River | 110 | 0. 1% | 30 | 0. 04% |
Derby | 871 | 0. 8% | 512 | 0. 71% |
Durham | 157 | 0. 1% | 119 | 0. 17% |
Eastford | 37 | 0. 0% | 22 | 0. 03% |
East Granby | 152 | 0. 1% | 73 | 0. 10% |
East Haddam | 135 | 0. 1% | 67 | 0. 09% |
East Hampton | 275 | 0. 2% | 155 | 0. 22% |
East Hartford | 2,519 | 2. 2% | 1,153 | 1. 61% |
East Haven | 764 | 0. 7% | 564 | 0. 79% |
East Lyme | 518 | 0. 4% | 375 | 0. 52% |
Easton | 188 | 0. 2% | 116 | 0. 16% |
East Windsor | 487 | 0. 4% | 266 | 0. 37% |
Ellington | 252 | 0. 2% | 139 | 0. 19% |
Enfield | 1,452 | 1. 3% | 688 | 0. 96% |
Essex | 141 | 0. 1% | 67 | 0. 09% |
Fairfield | 1,737 | 1. 5% | 1,074 | 1. 50% |
Farmington | 990 | 0. 9% | 823 | 1. 15% |
Franklin | 99 | 0. 1% | 86 | 0. 12% |
Glastonbury | 946 | 0. 8% | 400 | 0. 56% |
Goshen | 55 | 0. 0% | 21 | 0. 03% |
Granby | 154 | 0. 1% | 98 | 0. 14% |
Greenwich | 2,085 | 1. 8% | 1,259 | 1. 76% |
Griswold | 221 | 0. 2% | 181 | 0. 25% |
Groton | 1,748 | 1. 5% | 688 | 0. 96% |
Guilford | 570 | 0. 5% | 325 | 0. 45% |
Haddam | 212 | 0. 2% | 124 | 0. 17% |
Hamden | 1,324 | 1. 1% | 1,320 | 1. 84% |
Hampton | 30 | 0. 0% | 14 | 0. 02% |
Hartford | 8,353 | 7. 2% | 2,537 | 3. 54% |
Hartland | 18 | 0. 0% | 13 | 0. 02% |
Harwinton | 182 | 0. 2% | 101 | 0. 14% |
Hebron | 136 | 0. 1% | 75 | 0. 10% |
Kent | 93 | 0. 1% | 45 | 0. 06% |
Killingly | 469 | 0. 4% | 318 | 0. 44% |
Killingworth | 81 | 0. 1% | 63 | 0. 09% |
Lebanon | 125 | 0. 1% | 51 | 0. 07% |
Ledyard | 405 | 0. 4% | 223 | 0. 31% |
Lisbon | 168 | 0. 1% | 131 | 0. 18% |
Litchfield | 289 | 0. 3% | 208 | 0. 29% |
Lyme | 42 | 0. 0% | 9 | 0. 01% |
Madison | 499 | 0. 4% | 239 | 0. 33% |
Manchester | 2,448 | 2. 1% | 1,109 | 1. 55% |
Mansfield | 598 | 0. 5% | 363 | 0. 51% |
Marlborough | 141 | 0. 1% | 122 | 0. 17% |
Meriden | 1,414 | 1. 2% | 1,124 | 1. 57% |
Middlebury | 375 | 0. 3% | 290 | 0. 40% |
Middlefield | 189 | 0. 2% | 89 | 0. 12% |
Middletown | 1,170 | 1. 0% | 584 | 0. 81% |
Milford | 2,196 | 1. 9% | 1,088 | 1. 52% |
Monroe | 526 | 0. 5% | 338 | 0. 47% |
Montville | 626 | 0. 5% | 431 | 0. 60% |
Morris | 62 | 0. 1% | 29 | 0. 04% |
Naugatuck | 828 | 0. 7% | 381 | 0. 53% |
New Britain | 2,053 | 1. 8% | 963 | 1. 34% |
New Canaan | 609 | 0. 5% | 268 | 0. 37% |
New Fairfield | 207 | 0. 2% | 123 | 0. 17% |
New Hartford | 169 | 0. 1% | 77 | 0. 11% |
New Haven | 4090 | 3. 5% | 3425 | 4. 78% |
Newington | 784 | . 07% | 642 | 0. 90% |
New London | 1,483 | 1. 3% | 551 | 0. 77% |
New Milford | 668 | 0. 6% | 577 | 0. 80% |
Newtown | 932 | 0. 8% | 499 | 0. 70% |
Norfolk | 66 | 0. 1% | 32 | 0. 04% |
North Branford | 298 | 0. 3% | 256 | 0. 36% |
North Canaan | 113 | 0. 1% | 56 | 0. 08% |
North Haven | 970 | 0. 8% | 973 | 1. 36% |
North Stonington | 174 | 0. 2% | 153 | 0. 21% |
Norwalk | 4,065 | 3. 5% | 2,224 | 3. 10% |
Norwich | 1,619 | 1. 4% | 1,071 | 1. 49% |
Old Lyme | 259 | 0. 2% | 137 | 0. 19% |
Old Saybrook | 326 | 0. 3% | 285 | 0. 40% |
Orange | 522 | 0. 5% | 783 | 1. 09% |
Oxford | 202 | 0. 2% | 139 | 0. 19% |
Plainfield | 445 | 0. 4% | 289 | 0. 40% |
Plainville | 678 | 0. 6% | 517 | 0. 72% |
Plymouth | 146 | 0. 1% | 237 | 0. 33% |
Pomfret | 93 | 0. 1% | 84 | 0. 12% |
Portland | 245 | 0. 2% | 154 | 0. 21% |
Preston | 169 | 0. 1% | 186 | 0. 26% |
Prospect | 184 | 0. 2% | 163 | 0. 23% |
Putnam | 290 | 0. 3% | 139 | 0. 19% |
Redding | 224 | 0. 2% | 137 | 0. 19% |
Ridgefield | 788 | 0. 7% | 427 | 0. 60% |
Rocky Hill | 431 | 0. 4% | 456 | 0. 64% |
Roxbury | 50 | 0. 0% | 37 | 0. 05% |
Salem | 73 | 0. 1% | 81 | 0. 11% |
Salisbury | 109 | 0. 1% | 71 | 0. 10% |
Scotland | 25 | 0. 0% | 6 | 0. 01% |
Seymour | 556 | 0. 5% | 501 | 0. 70% |
Sharon | 99 | 0. 1% | 49 | 0. 07% |
Shelton | 1,142 | 1. 0% | 670 | 0. 93% |
Sherman | 55 | 0. 0% | 27 | 0. 04% |
Simsbury | 521 | 0. 5% | 304 | 0. 42% |
Somers | 202 | 0. 2% | 98 | 0. 14% |
Southbury | 506 | 0. 4% | 283 | 0. 39% |
Southington | 1,274 | 1. 1% | 790 | 1. 10% |
South Windsor | 539 | 0. 5% | 307 | 0. 43% |
Sprague | 69 | 0. 1% | 29 | 0. 04% |
Stafford | 264 | 0. 2% | 157 | 0. 22% |
Stamford | 2,794 | 2. 4% | 2,186 | 3. 05% |
Sterling | 40 | 0. 0% | 26 | 0. 04% |
Stonington | 767 | 0. 7% | 410 | 0. 57% |
Stratford | 1,913 | 1. 7% | 1,284 | 1. 79% |
Suffield | 349 | 0. 3% | 221 | 0. 31% |
Thomaston | 210 | 0. 2% | 224 | 0. 31% |
Thompson | 224 | 0. 2% | 109 | 0. 15% |
Tolland | 367 | 0. 3% | 250 | 0. 35% |
Torrington | 896 | 0. 8% | 685 | 0. 96% |
Trumbull | 725 | 0. 6% | 891 | 1. 24% |
Union | 70 | 0. 1% | 56 | 0. 08% |
Vernon | 1,052 | 0. 9% | 705 | 0. 98% |
Voluntown | 38 | 0. 0% | 34 | 0. 05% |
Wallingford | 1,605 | 1. 4% | 1,123 | 1. 57% |
Warren | 21 | 0. 0% | 11 | 0. 02% |
Washington | 88 | 0. 1% | 68 | 0. 09% |
Waterbury | 5,870 | 5. 1% | 2,672 | 3. 73% |
Waterford | 926 | 0. 8% | 643 | 0. 90% |
Watertown | 683 | 0. 6% | 452 | 0. 63% |
Westbrook | 275 | 0. 2% | 96 | 0. 13% |
West Hartford | 2,204 | 1. 9% | 916 | 1. 28% |
West Haven | 1,596 | 1. 4% | 1,235 | 1. 72% |
Weston | 196 | 0. 2% | 117 | 0. 16% |
Westport | 1,750 | 1. 5% | 1,121 | 1. 56% |
Wethersfield | 905 | 0. 8% | 592 | 0. 83% |
Willington | 176 | 0. 2% | 107 | 0. 15% |
Wilton | 697 | 0. 6% | 407 | 0. 57% |
Winchester | 231 | 0. 2% | 283 | 0. 39% |
Windham | 835 | 0. 7% | 467 | 0. 65% |
Windsor | 958 | 0. 8% | 651 | 0. 91% |
Windsor Locks | 399 | 0. 3% | 243 | 0. 34% |
Wolcott | 395 | 0. 3% | 187 | 0. 26% |
Woodbridge | 350 | 0. 3% | 294 | 0. 41% |
Woodbury | 231 | 0. 2% | 135 | 0. 19% |
Woodstock | 139 | 0. 1% | 92 | 0. 13% |
Unknown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
TOTAL | 115,427 | 100% | 71,724 | 100% |
Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Policy and Planning