Common Causes of Car Accidents in the United States
Among all the personal injury cases, road accidents that involve motorcycles or cars are the most frightening. It can affect the passengers, drivers and the passersby as well. People involved in a car accident can suffer different types of injuries – minor to serious. Severe car accidents may result in fatalities even. With the increased amount of road traffic, chances of an automobile accident are also higher nowadays. Life after an accident is sometimes more painful than the incident itself. Job loss, unemployment, reduced income, disability, injuries and top of all the feeling of being suffered due to someone else’s negligence make life miserable.
There are lots of contributing factors to the increasing number of auto accidents in the US every year. Most of the accidents are resulting from negligence. Here are some of the common causes of accidents.
Distracted Driving
Many types of research show that driver distractions are one of the major causes of car accidents. This is texting while driving, putting make ups, or making phone calls. In response to this, some states in the US have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while people are driving. Making use hands free ear bud, car phone mount, hands free are some of the alternatives that will allow a driver to communicate without any diversions.
Drunk Driving
With the advent of MADD or Mothers against Drunk Driving, US states came up with more stringent laws against drunk driving. The fact is less and fewer accidents due to drunk driving are now being reported. Nevertheless, in spite of these preventive measures, drunk driving is still one of the leading factors that cause auto accidents. As long as you will find stubborn people in denial on the level of their intoxication, we’ll never see drunk driving at a controllable level.
Bad Weather
No one has any control over the weather, and it may change within no time. However, stormy weather, snowfall, heavy rain, the wind and other natural calamities are causes that sometimes lead to road accidents. So, drivers, pedestrians, and motorists should be extra careful on the road during bad weather. Driving in these conditions should be performed with extreme caution.
Speeding
As with anything, haste makes waste. And in car accidents brought on by going way above the speed limit, exceeding the speed limit makes waste of lives. Insufficient control is the primary issue of racing. And driving a car is centered on being in control. The faster you would drive the less reaction time you have. It is advisable always to follow the traffic rules and keep a check on your speed according to the speed sign on the road.
Mechanical failures
These failures can lead to auto accidents, and this often involves tires, steering suspension, and brakes. The malfunction of the equipment is often pointed to car operator, the owner, or to the mechanic of the auto repair shops. To the higher extent, the negligence is blamed on the motor manufacturer for designing defective equipment.
A responsible driver saves not only his life but also so many other lives on the road. Always abide by the traffic laws and limit your speed by learning road signs.
