An average of 6 million car accidents occurs in the United States yearly. These accidents occur at a range of different severities and are caused by a variety of different factors.
Curious as to the most common causes of car accidents? Then you’re in the right place. We’re going to review them below.
1. Driving Distracted
The most common cause of car accidents is distracted driving. This includes everything from driving while texting to driving while eating to driving while putting on makeup and the like. It’s a danger for obvious reasons, the most pertinent of them being that it causes you to take your eyes off the road.
When driving, you need to focus on the road at all times. It only takes a split second for something to go wrong. Look away for that split second and you could find yourself subject to a tragedy.
Whatever it is you want to look at, it can wait until you’ve parked. Remember: your life isn’t worth saving a few extra minutes.
2. Driving Drunk
People are told this ad nauseam, but it never seems to make much of a difference: driving drunk is exceedingly dangerous. Alcohol slows your reaction time, impairs your vision, and hinders your ability to focus. So, it’s not much of a surprise that it commonly leads to car accidents.
There are, of course, laws to forbid drunk driving. Most states require you to have a blood alcohol content of under 0.08 to operate a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, a staggering number of people have at some point broken, or continue to break this law on a daily basis.
If you go out drinking, either arrange a place close by where you can sleep, or bring a designated driver along to get you home safely. If you’ve been in an accident involving drunk driving, call up a lawyer like the ones at Groth Law Firm.
3. Snowy Conditions
If you’ve driven in snow, you know just how troubling it can be. A dusting of snow will substantially reduce the amount of traction that a vehicle is able to obtain. Maneuvers that were once simple to make become exceedingly difficult.
As such, it should come as no surprise that snowy conditions are a common cause of car accidents. Make the wrong turn at the wrong time, stop a little too quickly, accelerate at the wrong speed and you could find yourself embroiled in a range of negative scenarios.
There’s really only one way to drive when it’s snowing: cautiously. Keep your eyes on the road, take it slowly, and be deliberate in every action you take. Snow creates a fine line between getting there safely and ending up in a ditch.
4. Rainy Conditions
Though they’re usually not taken as seriously as snowy conditions, rainy conditions can be just as dangerous. In fact, because they’re not taken seriously, they can sometimes be even more dangerous.
Hydroplaning, in particular, is a problem you have to look out for. This occurs when a vehicle drives over a puddle of water whilst making a slight turn. The wheels essentially glide on the puddle, leaving the vehicle temporarily out of control.
How do you reduce the risk of accidents in rainy conditions? By doing the same things that you would do in snowy conditions: take it slow, be deliberate in your actions, and drive defensively.
5. Driving Recklessly
Another cause of car accidents that you should know about is driving recklessly. This includes everything from speeding to mindlessly switching lanes to weaving in and out of traffic and otherwise. In short, it involves being careless with the rules of the road.
Now, this type of driving might get you to where you’re going the majority of the time. But it only takes one mistake, and all of a sudden, your life has changed. In the end, it’s just not worth it.
Follow the rules, keep within a reasonable range of the speed limit, and be mindful of those around you. You’re in a 2-ton ball of steel moving at speeds of between 35 and 80 miles per hour. That’s no time to be acting like a cowboy.
6. Driving at Night
Driving at night is another common cause of car accidents. The reasons for this are myriad. Not only does driving at night make it more difficult to see what’s coming up ahead of you but it also tends to enhance exhaustion, causing drivers to sometimes fall asleep at the wheel.
Our advice is to avoid the practice as much as possible. If you’re going on a long road trip, leave as soon as the sun comes up so that you can avoid darkness as much as possible.
If you’re forced to drive at night, do something to keep you stimulated. Listen to music, eat a snack, tap your finger, or otherwise. It’s much easier to slip into sleep than what you realize; keeping yourself stimulated will help you combat it.
7. Crossing Animals
The last cause we’re going to discuss is crossing animals. When animals cross the road in front of cars, those cars can either run into said animals or swerve out of control in an attempt to avoid said animals. Regardless, a collision often occurs.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to avoid this phenomenon, short of avoiding rural roads. Just be vigilant and prepared to slam on your brakes. Oh, and try not to swerve; only bad things happen when cars swerve.
There are Many Different Causes of Car Accidents
Rest assured: there are many different causes of car accidents. The ones discussed above comprise only a small portion of them. In truth, just about anything could cause an accident; so remain vigilant and drive with caution.
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