Every year, a staggering 6 million car accidents occur across the United States – this is the equivalent of more than 16,000 collisions each day. With each passing moment, countless people are injured, even killed, due to environmental conditions, negligence of other drivers, mechanical failures, and many more shocking causes. For such reasons, you must always be vigilant and practice defensive driving when out on the road. To know exactly what causes you should be defending yourself against when operating a vehicle, see the details below.
Leading Causes of Traffic Collisions Across the U.S.
Of all the causes of car accidents in America, negligence is by far the most common. Even as vehicle manufacturing has increasingly been carried out with the driver’s comfort, convenience, and safety in mind, many people still manage to endanger themselves and others. Along with the improved technology for safe driving, there have also come many more technological advancements.
For example, the improved ease of use of mobile devices has dramatically increased distracted driving. Even when people take only a brief glance at social media or emails, they significantly raise their chances of causing a collision. Other types of negligent driving include:
- Exceeding speed limits
- Neglecting to follow traffic signs, such as “Stop” or “Yield”
- Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol
- Reckless driving
Environmental conditions can also play a significant role in the likelihood of a driver becoming involved in a car accident. For example, construction zones are some of the most common areas in which people collide with either other vehicles or debris and other hazardous materials in the road. The Federal Highway Administration has estimated that, out of the annual 6 million, over 67,500 car crashes occur in construction zones each year.
Of those kinds of negligent driving listed above, drunk driving is one of the most dangerous – and widespread. About 1.1 million drivers were apprehended in 2014 solely on DUI charges. Both alcohol and drugs are known to severely reduce the body’s reaction time, resulting in dangerously compromised levels of awareness. In 2018, drunk driving incidents accounted for nearly one-third (29%) of all auto collisions, and caused 10,511 deaths.
Additional Causes of Car Crashes
Drivers can also be responsible for car accidents, even if they are not breaking the law. Driver fatigue is surprisingly dangerous, as the tired individual can easily slam into another vehicle due to their slowed reaction time, or nodding off — this type of driving results in about 83,000 collisions each year.
Even simple circumstances such as a deer crossing or inclement weather can cause a car crash. It’s easy for drivers to become startled and lose control of their vehicles if there is suddenly an animal in the road. Further, the slick surface of the asphalt after the first few minutes of rainfall can cause hydroplaning and other such vehicle anomalies.
If you’ve ever found yourself in any of the circumstances described here, you don’t want to be subject to faulty liability. Whether you were the victim in a multi-vehicle accident or were injured in a single-car collision as a result of environmental hazards, get in touch with a car accident lawyer. They will ensure that you are not blamed for circumstances that were out of your control and help you to secure the precise compensation you need to support your recovery. Contact a car accident lawyer today to open your case.