On a first glance, the phrases might seem synonymous, but note that the term "credit with" carries a sense of praise or recognition - So unless you want to say that it's a good thing that these accidents happen, don't use it.
"Account for" is neutral, just stating a cause-effect relationship, the result of a calculation.
Collins lists a bunch of synonyms for "credit":
Synonyms
= praise, honour, recognition, glory, thanks, approval, fame, tribute, merit, acclaim, acknowledgment, kudos, commendation, Brownie points
= source of satisfaction or pride, asset, honour, feather in your cap = prestige, reputation, standing, position, character, influence, regard, status, esteem, clout, good name, estimation, repute
Some synonyms for account (verb) are:
= consider, rate, value, explain, judge, estimate, think, hold, believe, count, reckon, assess, weigh, calculate, esteem, deem, compute, gauge, appraise, regard as