For most, the idea of being caught up in a car accident is terrifying. It’s something that plagues our minds every time we drive on the highway, approach a busy intersection, or consider overtaking a slow-moving truck.
It’s easy to think that worrying about a car accident is pointless, but the truth is that tens of thousands of accidents occur on the roads each year and in most cases, they could have been avoided. Human error and negligence are the biggest causes of road accidents – click the link to speak to a car accident attorney from Atlanta if you’ve been in a crash – but there are other factors and variants at play.
The more you know about what causes car accidents, the more likely you are to avoid being caught up in one. Here we’ll look at the shocking reasons why you might have a car accident.
Distracted driving
We’ve all done it. Tried to stay focused on the road ahead but gotten distracted by the conversation our friends are having, or by the kids fighting on the backseat. We want to skip to a good song on our playlist or we need to adjust the GPS because we’re struggling to follow the directions. This is all seemingly normal behavior, however, it’s also incredibly dangerous. Distracted driving in any form means that you’re not focused on the road ahead and you’re more likely to have a crash.
Drunk driving
Driving whilst intoxicated is illegal and there’s a good reason for that. Thousands of road accidents each year are a direct result of a drunk driver. Sadly, drunk drivers don’t just ruin their own lives, they can ruin others’ too. Alcohol impacts our ability to think clearly and make good decisions, it also impacts our motor skills, all of which we need to drive safely.
Bad weather conditions
The weather can change in an instant. And those of us who aren’t used to driving in extreme weather conditions or those of us who simply aren’t prepared, are more likely to have a car accident. Skidding on icy roads, aquaplaning on wet terrain or a lack of visibility due to fog and mist are all common factors in car accidents.
Driving at night
Driving at night means less visibility, it also means you’re more likely to encounter drunk drivers. These conditions make hazards difficult to spot in time, even if you have your lights on.
Driving too fast
Breaking the speed limit is simply asking for trouble. Speed limits are there to keep us, pedestrians, and other motorists safe. When drivers choose to break the speed limit, even slightly they’re putting others at risk and are more likely to lose control of the vehicle and crash.
Driving recklessly
Changing lanes too quickly, overtaking on blind bends or undertaking, tailgating, trying to beat red lights, braking suddenly, aggressive driving… if you partake in any of these bad driving habits then you could find yourself caught up in a car accident.
Final thoughts…
If you’ve been in a car crash that wasn’t your fault, reach out to a PI lawyer as soon as possible.
