Common Causes of Car Accidents
It is important to understand that accidents can happen when you get behind your car’s wheel. And this article is purely to educate people, not to scare them. It helps you understand the dangers you could face on roads and help you understand how to exercise caution. Exercising caution requires you to have the right information to help you protect yourself better when on the road.
Some Car Accident Statistics
To help you better understand the threats you face on the roads every day, here are some road accident statistics for you. You already know that car accidents happen, but how often are they? Although vehicles are increasingly safer because of better and more advanced safety features, they are still vulnerable to accidents. Speed remains the biggest cause of these accidents, and therefore, not letting your guard down might be the best way to stay safe.
Statistics from the Insurance Information Institute show that in 2019, 36,096 people perished in car crashes. That was a notable decrease in fatalities from the previous year, 2018, but the numbers are still alarmingly high, surpassing the 36,000 mark. The last year when the fatalities from road accidents did not pass the 36,000 mark was in 2015.
What are the Common Causes of Road Accidents?
With advancements in technology, cars keep getting more advanced and increasingly safer. Besides, in an attempt to increase safety, more laws keep being implemented. But accidents keep happening regardless of all these efforts to keep people safe while on the road. Do you wonder why that happens?
The truth is, several factors contribute to the occurrence of road accidents. At times, factors beyond people’s control end up being the main cause of auto accidents. Other times, neglecting set laws and precautions lead to these accidents. Some of the common causes of auto accidents are listed below.
Distracted Driving
When you take your first driving lesson, the basic thing your instructor tells you is always to keep your eyes on the road. It is a very simple instruction, but one that many drivers often overlook.
Many things can get a driver distracted when they are behind the wheel of the vehicle. One major distractor these days is mobile phones. When driving, a simple notification sound is bound to get most drivers distracted. They want to check their smartphones to see what the new message is about. And that simple thing takes away the attention of most drivers.
Often you might have gotten away with phone usage while driving, but that’s not always the case. At times, one late reaction might land you in trouble. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you keep your smartphone away while driving to minimize the chances of getting into an auto accident.
Other habits that often distract people when on the road include eating, wearing and fixing clothes, hair, or makeup, and listening to loud music. You can avoid them if you want to stay safe on the road.
Car Related Issues
The vehicle itself might be the cause of an accident. Poor maintenance practices such as not fixing brakes, car lights, and tires might lead to an accident. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you regularly check your vehicle’s condition to ascertain that everything is functioning properly.
Environmental Hazards
Your environment might be a reason why you find yourself in an accident. Issues like bad weather, bad roads, and wildlife or animals on the road might lead to auto accidents. It is important to ensure that you read road signs in unfamiliar areas. Besides, you might want to check the weather forecast before heading out to unfamiliar areas to ensure that you do not get blindsided by bad weather.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence of any drug or substance often leads to road accidents. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other illicit drugs get people in trouble due to their impact on proper judgment. It is important to be alert when on the road. That means that you should not drive while under the influence of any drug or substance.
Final Thoughts
Road safety is not a guarantee for anyone. Accidents happen, and people get injured. Hopefully, you’ll get the luck and successfully evade such misfortunes. But there could be times you find yourself in an accident, and you might require the services of an accident lawyer.