People don’t get up in the morning hoping they get into a car crash, yet tens of thousands of car accidents occur every day. Each one of these crashes has an underlying cause, but some causes are more common than others. Today, Scot Kraeuter Personal Injury Law reviews some of the most common causes of car accidents and advises readers on how to prevent accidents from occurring.
Distracted Driving & Car Accidents
Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 9.5% of all fatal crashes over the last six years involved a distracted driver. As you can see, distracted driving is a big problem and one of the leading causes of car accidents.
Common causes of distracted driving include:
- Eating food;
- Shaving/plucking hair;
- Putting on makeup;
- Talking on the phone;
- Using a cellphone (texting, surfing the web, writing emails);
- Talking to passengers;
- Picking up dropped items (especially when they fall between the seat and the middle console);
- Changing music/radio stations>
- Looking up directions>
Ways to prevent distracted driving:
- If you eat in the car, eat meals that are easy to handle and only require one hand;
- Get ready for the day before you get in the car;
- Prepare music playlists/directions before you get on the road;
- Talk to passengers while stopped at red lights and stop signs;
- If you drop something you need, pullover before you pick it up.
Distracted driving is only one of the main causes of car accidents, so now let’s examine how drowsy driving causes accidents.
Drowsy Driving & Car Accidents
Researchers are making correlations between car accidents and drowsy driving thanks to advancements in technology. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nearly 11% of crashes involving severe property damage involved drowsiness, a far cry from federal estimates that suggest drowsy driving attributes to a measly 1-2% of all accidents.
Unfortunately, many drivers are unaware of the fact that they are drowsy until it’s too late. However, there are clear warning signs of drowsy driving that all drivers should note.
Warning signs of drowsy driving include:
- Having trouble keeping your eyes on the road;
- Having trouble keeping your eyes open;
- Having trouble staying in your lane;
- Having trouble remembering the last few miles of the trip.
If you or a loved one is exhibiting any of these symptoms while behind the wheel, it’s a good idea to pull over and assess the situation. It’s possible to fight drowsiness with caffeine or a light jog, but in severe circumstances, the only way to fight drowsiness is to sleep.
We have one more common car accident cause to review, and that’s driving too fast for weather conditions.
Weather Conditions & Car Accidents
An NHTSA report found that 8.4% of accidents are caused by drivers who go too fast given weather conditions. Driving as if the weather is clear can turn into nasty accidents that can cause severe personal injuries.
Savannah doesn’t deal with snowstorms, but rainstorms do hit from time-to-time. While most drivers are willing to slow down when the weather gets rough, some continue to drive as though they are on perfect road conditions. If you are driving in the rain, go slower than the speed limit to give yourself time to react to safety hazards without hydroplaning.
Were You Injured in an Accident?
As you can see, some actions cause more accidents than others, but nothing you do can protect you entirely from other drivers’ actions; however, attorney Scott Kraeuter can help those injured in worst-case scenarios. If another driver injures you or a loved one, you may have the right to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Contact our firm to talk about your accident, and we’ll see if we can’t help you make it right.
Injured in an accident? Call (912) 209-6513 now for a free consultation for your case.