According to the National Safety Council (NSC), in 2019, an estimated 38,800 people died in car accidents in the U.S., with 4.4 million people injured seriously enough to require medical attention. Human error caused almost every single one. If you stay attentive and drive defensively, there are some accidents that you can avoid causing to keep yourself, your passengers and others safe on the road.
How to avoid causing the 5 top car reasons for car wrecks
Here are the 5 most common reasons for car accidents and how you can avoid causing them.
- Inattentive or Distracted Driving: Distracted driving is the leading cause of motor vehicle accidents nationwide. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), inattentive driving accounts for 25-50 percent of all motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.
Distracted driving commonly includes talking on a cell phone, texting and driving, eating and drinking, fiddling around with your dashboard devices, putting on makeup, reading, reaching for something, and even getting distracted by a passenger.
If you give your full attention to driving and don’t allow yourself to drive distractedly, you can avoid this number one cause of car accidents.
- Speeding: Speeding is the second leading cause of motor vehicle accidents. When speeding, it’s easier to lose control of the vehicle, especially in poor weather and bad road conditions. Because of the extra force speed creates when hitting an object, speeding reduces the effectiveness of air bags and seat belts, while increasing the severity of the crash.
Obey the speed limit and don’t be in a hurry.
- Drunk Driving: Drunk driving is the third leading cause of motor vehicle collisions. This type of accident is caused by both alcohol and drugs, some legal and some illegal. Such impaired drivers have a loss of coordination, concentration and perception, and shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car. Over 10,000 people a year die at the hands of drunk drivers, and frighteningly, alcohol-impaired drivers are behind the wheel more than 300,000 times every day.
Avoiding a drunk driving accident isn’t rocket science. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t ride with an alcohol-impaired driver. If you know you will be drinking, get a designated driver.
- Driver Fatigue and Drowsy Driving: Driving drowsy occurs when the driver is too tired to stay alert. Consequently, he or she may have slow reaction times, muddled reaction responses, and impaired thinking. Over 100,000 accidents every year are due to drowsy driving and falling asleep at the wheel. The most common time for driver fatigue is late and night and in the early morning.
To avoid a drowsy driving accident, don’t drive alone, if you are fatigued or have to drive at night. Share driving with another person on a long trip. Get a full night of sleep before driving. Pull over in a safe area and take a nap, and don’t take medications that can make you sleepy.
- Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Aggressive driving is dangerous. Such drivers make frequent and fast lane changes, they tailgate, they make obscene gestures and may deliberately speed up in front of you and slam on their brakes.
Who among us hasn’t gotten angry at the wheel? If you give into the raw emotion of it, you can easily cause a car crash, so don’t. Take a deep breath, relax, and let the anger subside.
Understanding the most common reasons for car wrecks is an important step in the right direction for reducing the number of accidents in New York and nationwide. However, if you are ever the victim of someone else’s negligence or carelessness and are injured, please give us a call.
If you have any questions about this article or any other questions related to personal injury law, please call us toll free at 1-800-LAW-1333. Our personal injury consultations are always free.
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