Car accidents are frequent misfortunes, as insurance industry experts found that the average driver suffers four crashes in a lifetime. This statistic is surprising given the fact that no one wants to get into auto accidents, yet they happen anyway.
At Justice Injury Law, we believe knowledge is the first step to change. For this reason, we’ve listed the top five causes of car accidents in America below.
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Distracted driving is by far the most significant cause of auto accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that, on average, nine people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in accidents reportedly caused by distracted drivers every day.
As the research stems from accident reports that explicitly state that distracted driving was the cause of the crashes, estimates for the actual daily number of injuries and deaths caused by distracted driving are much higher.
There are three main types of distracted driving:
- Cognitive: Your mind is distracted by something (listening to a podcast, thinking about a past conversation, etc.).
- Manual: Your hands are off of the steering wheel (eating food, using a cellphone, looking up directions, etc.).
- Visual: Your eyes are off of the road (looking at a GPS, watching a spectacle, etc.).
While distracted driving is the most common cause of accidents, other common causes are deadlier.
DRUNK DRIVING
Drunk driving is not as common as distracted driving, but it results in more fatalities. While distracted driving is said to cause nine deaths a day, drunk driving deaths average to around 30 a day.
It’s important to note that a driver’s level of intoxication impacts fatality rates. Therefore, while all intoxication levels can result in car accidents, higher blood alcohol concentrations are more likely to result in fatal crashes.
SPEEDING & RECKLESS DRIVING
Some people act differently while behind the wheel. Level-headed individuals start to see red when other drivers cut them off, and that’s when they begin to drive recklessly and speed. If you ever find yourself getting frustrated at another driver, pull over and give yourself space from the person you’re mad at.
Speeding is by far one of the most common forms of reckless driving. The National Safety Council (NSC) found that speeding was a factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities in 2018, killing an average of over 25 people a day. The good news is that speed-related deaths have decreased, as 32% of traffic fatalities were speeding-related in 2010.
RAIN & SNOW
Inclement weather is a significant factor in many accidents because poor weather increases the risks of negligent driving actions. In other words, the dangers of distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and other negligent acts increases significantly during inclement weather.
Rain and snow are dangerous for the following reasons:
- People drive as if weather conditions are normal;
- People don’t know how to drive in poor weather;
- People assume they know how to drive in poor weather.
DROWSY DRIVING
New research from AAA shows that drowsy driving is a factor in approximately 9.5% of all traffic accidents. This research is significant as it shows that drowsy driving is much more prominent than old estimates suggest.
It’s important to note that the only surefire way to combat drowsy driving is to sleep. While quick fixes can help momentarily, nothing compares to laying down and actually sleeping.
INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?
If you or a loved one is injured in an accident, Justice Injury Law is here to help! People trust us to get the job done because we have a track record of success for our clients!
Ready for award-winning representation? Call 502-584-5455 now for a free consultation for your case!