By Mashum Mollah
Every year, police report more than six million car accidents across the United States. These accidents cause close to three million injuries and more than 35,000 deaths.
The causes of these accidents range – from distracted driving to weather conditions to roadway hazards. And while there are many causes of car accidents, some are more common than others.
Most Common Causes Of Car Accidents
Determining the most common causes of car accidents may seem too broad to answer.
However, organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gather data that can give insight into car accidents, their cause, and their impact on society.
The NHTSA breaks down causes of car accidents into two primary categories – driver error and, well, everything else.
Driver Error
According to the NHTSA, driver error is, by far, the leading cause of car accidents in the U.S. Driver error encompasses many different actions or behaviors that cause car accidents. Some examples include:
Driver Inattention
When a driver loses focus on the task at hand. This could be due to a distraction, a medical event, or simply a loss in the train of thought.
It would help if you remembered that the enforcement agencies will examine the accident in detail. They will look at your traffic violations and try to understand whether you have been an irresponsible driver in the past. All these things will help them build their case against you.
Legal experts suggest that this is why you must proactively handle all traffic ticketing violations and ensure a clean record. For more information on this topic, visit this website.
Distracted Driving
When a driver is distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle, such as:
- Sending or reading text messages
- Conversations on a mobile phone
- Radio noise or auditory distractions
- Rubbernecking to see what’s happening outside the vehicle
- Manual tasks like eating, putting on makeup, or reaching for something
- Daydreaming or becoming ‘lost’ in one’s thoughts
Drowsy Driving
When a driver is so drowsy or fatigued that he or she has difficulty concentrating or staying awake. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as intoxicated driving.
According to the CDC, someone who has been awake for 18 hours straight has the same level of impairment as someone who has a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of 0.05%.
The legal BAC for intoxication is 0.08%. That means a drowsy driver cannot adequately react, respond, or focus on driving.
Speeding
Speeding significantly contributes to the number of car accidents that occur each year.
There are several reasons why speeding is dangerous:
- Speeding makes it challenging to control the vehicle
- Speeding makes the vehicle more vulnerable to roadway hazards
- During inclement weather, speeding can cause the vehicle to drift, slide, or veer off the road
Speeding also makes car accidents more serious. The faster a vehicle moves, the more damage it will do to anything it strikes. Furthermore, speeding often causes more significant damage to the vehicle itself and, therefore, the driver.
Roadway Hazards
Roadway hazards can also cause car accidents, with some contributors including:
- Glare from the sun
- Poor visibility due to rain or fog
- Debris in the roadway
- Potholes
Vehicle Hazards
The condition of your vehicle can also play a role in causing a car accident. If your vehicle is not properly maintained or has unrepaired recalls, it could cause the vehicle to malfunction. The result could be your inability to stop the car, turn the car, control the car, or rely on safety features.
Running Red Light
There are three traffic lights on the road for a reason. Do you know the reason for this? You get notified about the incoming traffic on the road through these lights. Additionally, you have different colors to denote actions, like green for go, red for stop and yellow for hold on.
So, when you see a red traffic light on the road, you should stop the vehicle. However, running red lights has become so common that thousands of car accidents happen. Furthermore, car drivers run red lights and cause side-impact accidents or rollover accidents, which can cause death and life-changing damage.
Unsafe Lane Change
You must be aware of your surroundings when changing lanes because several accidents happen due to unsafe lane changes. Accidents can happen when you are not changing lines safely and are in a hurry. You are unaware of the oncoming traffic from the other lane, which can cause an accident.
Road Rage
You know how anger can make people do unexpected things that lead to damage. So, when drivers become angry while driving, it can turn into rage and cause accidents.
Additionally, you might have heard the term “road ragers” who drive rashly on the road to overtake other vehicles. These road ragers can cause accidents when trying to overspeed or tailing another driver.
Tire Blowouts
It is not unexpected for your car’s tires to blow out and make you lose control. So, you should properly maintain your car so as not to cause accidents because of tire blowouts.
Additionally, if the tires of large vehicles blow out, it can cause more than one accident on the road. As there are several other vehicles on the road, if one large truck loses its control because of a tire blowout, it can cause several losses of lives.
Deadly Curves
Deadly curves are another cause of car accidents. Only experienced drivers in mountainous regions can drive cars at high altitudes.
This is because of deadly turns and spark curves on the mountain roads. Several accidents occur because drivers cannot control their cars during sharp turns on deadly curves.
What To Do After A Car Accident
As you can see, there are various reasons why car accidents occur. No matter what the cause of the car accident is, it is a good idea to follow some general guidelines after one happens.
For example, getting medical attention for injuries, calling the police, and contacting your insurance company. You may also find it helpful to contact a car wreck attorney to discuss your options for compensation if the accident was not your fault.
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