While some of these causes of car accidents may seem obvious and redundant to experienced drivers, this list aims to educate drivers of all levels, from the newly licensed teen driver to the senior driver with 40 years of driving experience. The number one cause of car accidents is not a criminal who drove drunk, accelerated, or ran a red light. Distracted Drivers Are the Leading Cause of Car Accidents in the U.S. UU.
A distracted driver is a motorist who takes his attention away from the road, usually to talk on a mobile phone, send a text message, or eat. Learn more about how distracted driving causes accidents Have you seen them on the road. Many drivers ignore the speed limit and drive 10, 20, and sometimes 30 mph over the limit. Speed kills, and traveling over the speed limit is an easy way to cause a car accident.
The faster you drive, the slower your reaction time will be if you need to avoid a car accident. Learn more about how speeding causes accidents Many drivers are impatient and reckless, driving so close to another car that they can't react in time if the car in front of them suddenly brakes. Many fatal car accidents have occurred when a motorist dangerously followed another driver at high speeds. You can prevent these car accidents by giving the car in front of you a shock absorber from a car for every 10 mph you drive.
Everyone has been mad at another driver for one reason or another, but some drivers let their anger overcome them. By following another angry driver or overtaking another speeding driver just to get in front of him and brake, these road freaks cause a lot of unnecessary car accidents every year. There's not much talk about driver fatigue, but how well can we expect someone to drive when they're having trouble staying awake?. Most car accidents caused by sleepy driving happen at night.
If you want to fall asleep behind the wheel, stop when it's safe and try to take a quick 30-minute nap. Undoubtedly, distracted driving is the number one cause of car accidents. A distracted driver doesn't have their full attention on the road and may be paying more attention to a mobile device, passengers, or even a cheeseburger. Remember that your only job when you're behind the wheel is to get to your destination safely.
Many distracted drivers are often drivers who have been driving for a long time and think they can multitask. Don't let yourself fall victim to this mentality. All of us have had drivers on the road, even when we exceeded the speed limit. It's not unusual for people to drive 10, 15, or even 20 miles above the stated speed limit.
Keep in mind that the faster you drive, the slower your reaction time will be. If you need to prevent a car accident while driving 20 miles above the limit, the chances that the accident will not be prevented are very high. Getting in and out of traffic. Follow closely and cut off other drivers.
These are all examples of reckless driving, and each can cause a serious accident. If you see someone driving like that around you, walk away and give them space. Reckless drivers can be seen accelerating as they enter and exit traffic, so be careful when driving and doing your maneuvers. There's nothing I'm going to do to make the driver safer.
Protect Yourself and Report the Driver. Running red lights and stop signs is another major cause of car accidents. Red means stop, and it's not a suggestion for you to do whatever you want. If you see a light turn yellow, slow down instead of accelerating to try to “catch” it.
Don't be tempted to put stop signs near your home, as many people are. The extra 10 seconds you have to wait aren't worth risking your life. Teenage drivers are dangerous because of their inexperience. A teenager experiencing new driving situations will not know how to react.
Teens Are Responsible for Causing Car Accidents Every Day. If you see a young man behind the wheel, stay behind him and give him space. Teens can also be victims of distracted driving with their phones or friends in the car. Many accidents can be avoided if people pay more attention or make better decisions.
There are dozens of reasons why accidents happen and, in reality, some cannot be predicted. Things like drunk driving, reckless driving, and speeding, for example, are solely at the driver's discretion. STEINGER, founding partner of Steinger, Greene & Feiner, believes in representing real people, not big companies. Since the firm's inception in 1997, Steinger, Greene & Feiner has never represented an insurance company or a large corporation, and is committed to delivering on this promise.
Throughout his career, Michael has handled thousands of accident cases in Florida, recovering millions of dollars for his clients and gaining membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Keeping up to date on the ever-evolving laws that protect injury victims and their families, Michael is an active member of the American Bar Association, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Bar Associations and serves on the Auto Insurance Committee of the Florida Justice Association. Northwood Tower 1777 NE Loop 410Suite 1009 & 1013San Antonio, TX 78217 (2 405-0815) A major cause of car accidents can be attributed to distracted driving.
Despite popular opinion, the brain is unable to focus on more than one task at a time. This means that when a driver texts, talks on the phone, grooms, reads, or even eats while driving, the brain switches between tasks and cannot constantly focus on what awaits him. Drunk driving is responsible for an average of 29 deaths per day. But thanks to recent educational efforts, deaths related to drunk driving have decreased.
Speeding can be one of the main reasons for car accidents, as many drivers do so in areas with heavy traffic or at intersections, which can lead to some of the worst accidents. Speeding can cause crashes, and these types of accidents can cause brain injury, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and many other serious injuries. Car accidents, for the most part, ARE preventable. However, without fully understanding the cause of car accidents, it can be difficult for people to know what they can do to prevent them.
Some causes are more obvious than others, such as drinking and driving, while others are not as well known. For example, while many people know it's illegal to text while driving (in many states), many don't understand the very real dangers of distracted driving. We hope that this publication clarifies why certain rules and regulations exist, and how compliance with them can help prevent dangerous or even fatal accidents. At the top of the list, distracted driving is the number one cause of car accidents in the U.S.
Every year, and although it is a recognized topic, it worsens more and more. Distracted driving includes, but is not limited to, texting while driving, operating another portable device while driving, driving with loud music, talking to rear seat passengers while driving, eating while driving, and more. Be smart behind the wheel and keep all your senses in tune with the task at hand. It's one of the reasons our firm focuses on helping victims injured in car accidents.
If you're doing 50 on a 35, you may not be able to stop in time to run a red light, or you may brake too late when a child rushes out onto the road chasing his ball. Follow the speed limit no matter how ridiculous you think it is. Drunk driving used to be the leading cause of accidents, but thanks to mobile phones, GPS devices and tablets, and thanks to drunk driving campaigns, it has moved lower on the list. That said, drunk drivers cause an unacceptable number of accidents each year.
Don't be the cause of another tragedy and stay sober. If you drink while you're away, ask someone to make you a DD or call an Uber. Aggressive driving, speeding, drifting in and out of traffic, reversing and other aggressive behavior are considered reckless driving and contribute to the high number of accidents each year. Just like drunk driving, this is one of the most obvious causes of car accidents.
Red means stop and it will never mean anything else. If the traffic light is red, it means that the lights that direct traffic in other directions are likely to be green or yellow. If you run a red light, you'll most likely hit someone whose real turn is to go. Being distracted by work or family issues is no excuse.
If you're too distracted to drive, don't get behind the wheel. While you can't always avoid driving in the rain, you can practice safe driving in the rain. Drive slowly and, if visibility is affected, pull to the side of the road until the worst of the storm passes. Your boss, partner or mother will understand if you were late due to bad weather.
There's never an excuse to drive too close to another vehicle. Ultimately, you should keep between two and three cars in length between you and the vehicle in front of you, that distance allows you plenty of time to stop in case the car before it suddenly stops. Keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you at all times. Research shows that tired driving is as dangerous as drunk driving.
Being too tired can impair your judgment, delay your reaction time, impair your vision, and even cause you to fall asleep at the wheel. If you notice that you are drifting away or having difficulty concentrating, step aside the road and rest. If you're close to home or a hotel, stop and get some sleep before hitting the road again. Alcohol and sleepy driving aren't the only things that can impair your vision or judgment.
Both illegal and legal drugs can inhibit your senses and make it difficult for you to drive safely. Don't use narcotics or take heavy prescription drugs before you get behind the wheel. If your doctor prescribes medication for you, ask if using the medication impairs your judgment in any way. As with rain, driving in fog can't always be avoided.
If you are forced to drive in fog, use fog lights, drive at or below the speed limit and constantly check that you are in your own lane. If there is a lot of snow on the ground, avoid getting behind the wheel completely. Driving in the snow is almost always avoidable. In fact, many employers provide subsidies for heavy snowfall and allow workers to work from home or take the day off.
However, if you are forced to drive in the snow, put your vehicle on four-wheel drive and drive slowly. If you don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle, attach chains to your tires. If you live in a snow-prone area, make sure to equip your vehicle with snow tires. Changing lanes without looking, when there is little space between the cars in front of and behind you, or at high speeds, however, is.
When changing lanes, always check your mirrors and look over your shoulders, and only change lanes when there is enough room to do so. Although teens have many redeeming qualities, caring is not one of them. Not only are teens inexperienced behind the wheel, but they also tend to show reckless behavior, especially behind the wheel. Their inexperience, combined with naturally reckless tendencies, often result in accidents and, unfortunately, more work for car accident lawyers.
Forty-nine percent of fatal car accidents occur at night, and the mortality rate per mile is nearly three times higher at night than during the day. Not only do you have vision problems at night, but many people behind the wheel at night are tired, intoxicated, or both. While you will sometimes be asked to drive at night, stay vigilant behind the wheel, stay sober and, if you feel tired, ask someone else to drive or stop and rest. When a large animal jumps into the middle of the road, it can cause a lot of damage, both to the car that hits it and to any car behind the vehicle in front of it.
While there's no way to anticipate animals crossing the street, you can watch out for. When driving at night, use the high beams to look for bright eyes, and when you see signs of crossing animals, stay even more alert. Construction zones can be confusing and often there is not enough warning for them. That said, if you see orange, stay tuned.
Always follow posted speeds, even when you don't see any workers present, and be more attentive to those around you. If you're confused, it's likely that other drivers are too. As a licensed driver in the U.S. Steps to make a legal turn include using the flashing light, slowing down, and obeying all traffic signs and signs.
Do not make an illegal turn when the signs clearly indicate that turns in a certain direction are prohibited. If you need to get somewhere, take the right path to that place, as shortcuts cause accidents. Driving in the Wrong Direction Is Worse Than Wrong Turns. Unfortunately, driving in the opposite direction accidents are more common than most people might think, and many of those crashes occur on motorways, where cars drive at speeds between 60 and 80 miles per hour.
A head-on collision at these speeds can be fatal. If you are not familiar with an area, pay close attention to all the signs and the direction in which traffic is flowing. It's not uncommon for cars to stop in the middle of a highway or for gears to change while the car is running. Cars that stop out of nowhere are dangerous for both occupants and occupants of other vehicles.
You can avoid a crash by maintaining your vehicle and fixing problems when they arise, not just when they become uncomfortable. Speaking of burned tires, they are as dangerous as potholes or vehicle malfunctions, as they can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. You can prevent tire blowouts by rotating tires regularly, changing them when they start to wear out, and inspecting them for imperfections from time to time. Sharp, blind corners are a danger to drivers.
Although cornering can be fun to drive, especially for those who are familiar with an area, they are the cause of several accidents. When driving on curvy roads, be sure to maintain the speed limit and be aware of others. Again, the rules are in place for a reason, and it's not to make your life difficult. There are rules to protect us.
Speeding, running red lights, ignoring traffic signs, following too closely, and other illegal driving behaviors cause accidents. You can help reduce the number of accidents if you follow road rules and expect others to be smart enough to do the same. Even though street racing is illegal, people still do it. Street racing on public roads with other drivers is downright dangerous, and if one is caught participating in street racing activities, you could be charged with much more than reckless driving.
If you need speed, look for a street racing league and compete only on private roads. Ice is hard to avoid, especially black ice. However, if it's cold enough to freeze, be very careful. Slow down before bridges, drive at the speed limit, and leave enough space between your car and the vehicle in front of you.
When you approach a stop sign or traffic light, start stopping well in advance to make room for skidding. Most car accidents are caused by human error and negligence, as indicated in this list. If everyone did their part and obeyed road rules and practiced safe driving in hazardous conditions, accident statistics would be much less grim. While it's unrealistic to think that we can reduce the number of accidents to zero, even one less accident is a step in the right direction.
If you were involved and injured in a car accident in California, contact GJEL to learn more about your compensation recovery options today. Approximately six million car accidents occur each year. That breaks down into approximately 15,000 accidents each day. There are about 37,000 deaths from accidents each year, or 101 deaths per day.
Another 2.35 million suffer injuries or disabilities annually or 6,438 per day. Although the numbers are better than they used to be (which is largely due to safe driving campaigns and stricter laws), they are by no means “ideal”. Accident rates shouldn't be in the millions, mortality rates shouldn't be ten thousand, and injuries shouldn't be in the millions. If you or a loved one was injured in an accident, contact our & serious injury lawyers in California today for a free case review.
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