Common Causes of Car Accidents

In 2019, around 36,000 people died in the United States due to car crashes. The best way to avoid a potential car accident is to avoid engaging in unsafe driving behavior. 

What are some of the most common causes of accidents and how can you avoid them? This article analyses five key types of behavior that could result in a car crash.

1. Speeding

The great thing about a car is that it allows you to get to your destination quickly. Unfortunately, some drivers try to go too quickly and drive over the speed limit. 

Speeding is illegal for a reason. The faster you’re going, the more instantaneous your reaction times need to be. When you get up to a certain speed, it gets challenging to react to something unexpected. 

This is why speeding is one of the most common causes of car accidents. If you want to avoid getting into a car accident, you should always stick to the posted speed limit for the road you’re traveling on. 

When you drive at the appropriate speed, you ensure that you’ll have sufficient time to react if something unexpected happens on the road. No matter how good of a driver someone thinks they are, they won’t have fast enough reaction times to prevent car crashes at very high speeds.

2. Intoxication

Another major issue on the roads is people driving while intoxicated. Some of the most catastrophic accidents happen due to people drinking and getting behind the wheel. 

The truth is that even just a couple of drinks is enough to impair one’s driving ability. It’s not only alcohol that causes problems. People driving under the influence of drugs is also one of the big causes of accidents. 

Drivers should never try to drive their car while intoxicated. Intoxicated drivers put other people’s safety at risk as well as put themselves at risk of serious legal consequences. 

Oftentimes people who drive intoxicated will also go over the speed limit. This can result in incredibly dangerous situations such as T-bone crashes at intersections. 

Driving while you’re tired can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. If you’ve been driving for a long time, it may be best to take a break and rest. You might even consider checking into a motel to get some sleep.

3. Distraction

Distracted driving is another major cause of accidents. Some people would never dream of speeding or driving while intoxicated, but that doesn’t stop them from driving while distracted. The fact is that driving while distracted can be just as dangerous. 

One of the biggest ways that people drive while distracted is by trying to use a cell phone while behind the wheel. This is illegal for a reason. Driving while using a cell phone is a form of distracted driving you may hear about the most, but it’s not the only type of distracted driving.

You might also be distracted while changing the radio station or while talking to people while driving. As a driver, it’s your duty to make sure you focus on the road.  

Sometimes people get away with using a cell phone while driving, but they are at a greater risk of getting into a car accident. 

4. Bad Weather

Bad weather is another significant cause of car accidents. The kind of bad weather you may encounter depends on your location, but almost every area has some sort of inclement weather that could cause an accident. 

One of the worst kinds of weather for car accidents is snow. Where there’s snow, there’s ice and ice is incredibly difficult to drive on. Even experienced drivers can quickly lose control of their vehicle leading to a potentially fatal accident. 

If you need to drive in the snow, you should make sure to drive exceptionally carefully. Snow can often fall on top of ice making it quite unpredictable. Vehicles such as trucks will have an easier time on ice. If you have a smaller car, you might want to find alternative forms of transportation. 

If you need to get to work, you might consider seeing if your company will let you work from home during particularly bad weather.

5. Reckless Behavior

Finally, reckless behavior is also a leading cause of car accidents. Quite often, reckless behavior goes hand-in-hand with intoxicated driving, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, people simply feel invincible behind the wheel and take unnecessary and illegal risks. 

For example, rolling through stop signs, skipping red lights, and tailgating are all examples of illegal and dangerous behavior. Being found guilty of reckless driving by the courts could result in your driving license being suspended. 

One of the big reasons that people engage in reckless behavior is because they don’t give themselves enough time to get to their destination. Building in enough time to make your appointments is a great way to resist the temptation to take unnecessary risks on the road. 

Avoid These Causes of Car Accidents

If someone engages in any of the behaviors mentioned on this list, it’s only a matter of time before they may get into an accident. If you’ve found yourself involved in a crash, you’ll need access to the best legal representation. 

At Alpha Accident Lawyers, our lawyers fight to preserve the rights of victims who have been affected by the negligence of another driver. If you’re looking for an experienced car accident lawyer, check out our contact page and get in touch with a car accident lawyer today.