A. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic accidents occur quite often - at least one every 12 minutes. This is a frightening statistic that unfortunately touches most of our lives, at one point or another. While many of the auto accidents that occur every day in the U.S. are minor, there are many that result in serious injury or death. Accident victims are often unaware of their rights. This is why it is important to seek legal counsel immediately after an accident.