Last updated on November 16th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
Car accidents may occur due to numerous reasons, such as poor road conditions, bad weather, or the negligence of third parties, among others. Sometimes the cause might also be the combination of several different factors.
Most of the time, these accidents are preventable. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration(NHTSA), around 94-96 percent of all motor vehicle accidents result from some kind of human error. The same organization identifies several different reasons why collisions occur, and most of them belong in the category of either carelessness or negligence.
They include speeding, which stands behind many accidents that result in the death of at least one person, aggressive or reckless driving, and drunk, drowsy, or distracted driving. There are also plenty of car accidents involving third parties, such as passengers grabbing the wheel or behaving in a way that’s distracting to the driver.
On top of that, with car accidents that involve outside parties happen, things get particularly complicated on the legal level, though the road to settlement in car accident cases is usually long and complicated; you can read more about car accident settlement funding to get a glimpse of how often people need help to make ends meet.
Speaking of legalities, victims and their families face immense pressure to find an experienced car accident lawyer to take up the case. It can be more challenging when you are partly at fault, but your lawyer must prove beyond reasonable doubt that something else might have caused the accident. Other times, the car accident lawyer must argue your case to reduce a possible punitive action when you caused the accident.
Below, you will find more details about car accidents caused by human error, carelessness, and negligence.
Speeding
Speeding accounts for almost one-third of all motor vehicle accidents. In 2019, speeding was a factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities, killing 9,478 or over 25 people per day on average. The statistics vary from state to state, but speeding remains one of the most frequently cited causes of car accidents, translating into thousands of deaths and injuries every year.
Moreover, speed is a major cause of highway deaths and injuries across the United States. In California alone, speeding has been identified as the leading cause of more than 3,000 deaths annually.
Speeding is considered one of the most common exhibits of carelessness among drivers. Driving over the speed limit reduces the time the driver has to react in a dangerous or unexpected situation to avoid a crash. It also increases vehicle stopping distance and reduces the effectiveness of road safety structures, such as guardrails, median dividers, and concrete barriers, in protecting vehicle occupants in a crash. The only good news is that the percentage of speeding-related deaths has steadily decreased in the last ten years.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving, or reckless driving, is often a combination of several factors, such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, weaving between lanes excessively, and tailgating. In some cases, it can spill out of the vehicle and turn into assault.
This type of behavior is especially dangerous when it occurs on high-speed roadways and results in more severe accidents. Reckless driving leads drivers to issues with recognition, decision, and performance. Aggressive behavior behind the wheel is, in most cases, a result of stress-related factors commonly referred to as road rage. Many road rage incidents go uncounted, and usually, only those road rage incidents that result in accidents are included in the surveillance data.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the most frequent causes of traffic crashes and contributes to over 3,000 deaths every year. Defined as any activity that distracts a driver from operating their vehicle safely, distracted driving can mean just about anything related to a phone call, texting, eating, smoking, adjusting the radio or climate control system while driving, or engaging with passengers.
Some people wrongly consider themselves good multitaskers and believe they can talk on their cell phones and do other things while driving without endangering themselves or others on the road. It doesn’t even matter if the driver is holding a mobile phone or using a hands-free device. Anything that takes your mind and eyes off the road can be dangerous. The NHTSA estimates that distracted driving accounts for around 25 percent of all motor vehicle crashes in the United States, meaning that it’s responsible for one in four car crashes that result in death and injury.
Drunk Driving
Alcohol-impaired driving continues to be one of the biggest safety issues on roads worldwide. In 2019, 10,142 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in the U.S. alone. Drunk driving was a factor in 28% of all fatal crashes in the country that year. Alcohol-related crashes cost our society more than $44 billion each year.
Alcohol is a substance that influences the function of the brain, impairing thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination – the abilities that are essential for drivers to safely drive their vehicles. Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and small intestine. It then enters the bloodstream, where it accumulates until the liver metabolizes it. The alcohol level in a person’s bloodstream is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood – this is known as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
Crash risk increases exceptionally at a BAC of .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter (g/dL) of blood. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your driving abilities. Driving and drinking is deadly and can cause you to get in an accident that is likely to result in serious injuries or death – yours of other people’s.
People who know that they are going to drink at a party or social gathering should plan their ride home beforehand and choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver. If you know that someone’s been drinking, don’t let them drive under any circumstances. Use the services of a taxi, call an uber, arrange the drive home for yourself or any other people who have been driving in your company. If you see an impaired driver on the road, don’t wait or hesitate to contact local law enforcement – your action can save someone’s life.
Conclusion
There are several causes why car accidents and incidents happen on roads every day, but human errors are responsible for most of them. Speeding, alcohol, aggressive and distracted driving all have something in common: they prevent drivers from paying attention and reacting timely when an unexpected situation occurs. This is why it’s crucial for all drivers to be aware of these dangers and take necessary precautions while driving to avoid unnecessary deaths and injuries on the roads.
