It is a sad fact that an average of 3,287 people die in bad accidents every day. That is 1.25 million people passing away in road crashes every year.
There are a few common causes of accidents, and many of them are preventable. You can learn what the common causes are and take action to prevent them. This will reduce your risk of being in a bad accident.
Read through this list and find out what you can do to reduce your risk while driving.
1. Human Error
This is the leading cause for the majority of accidents that happen are a result of human error. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 94% of all accidents are a result of the driver making an error.
These errors are the driver making a decision error. Maybe they acted when they shouldn’t have. Or perhaps they chose not to act when action would have avoided the accident.
- Recognition error 41%
- Decision error 33%
- Performance error 11%
- None-performance error 7%
- Other 8%
As you can see, the majority of the errors are because we make poor decisions. You can change your behaviors and avoid accidents that would be caused by your human error.
However, you can’t change other driver’s actions. To avoid these accidents, you’ll need to watch the other cars and prepare for their sudden movements.
2. Distracted Driving
Thanks to the rise in popularity of technology we have more gadgets and gizmos to draw our attention away from the road. Many of the distractions are built right into the car itself.
It isn’t just technology that can pull your attention away. Other passengers, children, and the radio can all distract you.
We all want to think that we can master multitasking; however, the reality is that most of us are not capable. So put down the phone, turn down the radio, and focus on the task at hand, driving.
3. Weather
Sometimes weather conditions can create a dangerous situation. Excessive rain, dense fog, slick roads, and high wind can all create a situation where driving is dangerous.
Another problem with the weather is that drivers don’t take the changed road conditions into account while driving. Wet pavement is one of the top reasons for severe weather accidents.
You can prevent an accident by slowing down when the weather gets bad. Driving slower allows for reduced stopping time and greater reaction time for you.
4. Mechanical Failure
It is vital that you maintain your vehicle. Mechanical failure can cause accidents. To prevent this, you need to maintain your tires, brakes, headlights, wipers, and any other area of your vehicle that can wear out.
5. Animals
Animals don’t know or understand the rules of the road. They are just living their lives when they happen to run out in front of you.
Hitting a deer is a common occurrence and can total your vehicle. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to prevent the unpredictability of animals. What you can do is stay vigilant when you drive in an area that is known for animals.
6. Medical Conditions
Medical events cause some accidents. You could have a heart attack, stroke, or seizure while driving. These events are uncontrollable.
Some medical conditions are controllable, though. Falling asleep and poor vision are both things you can prevent from causing an accident.
If you are awake for 18 hours straight, you have the driving ability of someone who has a blood alcohol level of .05 (.08 is considered drunk). After 24 hours of being awake, it’s like driving with a blood alcohol level of .10.
7. Driving Under the Influence
Whether it is because of alcohol or drugs, driving while under the influence is entirely avoidable. If you have been drinking, do not drive.
Check your prescriptions for warnings about impaired driving. If your prescription has this warning, then follow it.
8. Manufacturer Malfunction
Sometimes you can do everything right when it comes to maintaining your car, but it stills fails on you. There could be a defect that occurs during the manufacturing of the vehicle.
These aren’t common, but manufacturers won’t release a recall until several accidents happen. This means that you could be that unlucky person that has the defect cause an accident before the recall.
One thing you can do is take action when a recall does come out. You can check to see if there are any active recalls. If there are, then bring your car in for maintenance and repair.
9. Being Lost or Not Knowing the Local Laws
If you are not familiar with where you are going, then you are more focused on where you are and where you are going then paying attention to the action on the road. You are at risk of not following the rules of the road or getting turned around.
A car accident can also happen because you don’t follow the local road rules. Some states allow drivers to make a right turn on red; others don’t. Try to turn right on red in a state that doesn’t allow it can cause an accident because other drivers won’t expect you to be turning.
Avoid Bad Accidents
By knowing what the biggest causes of bad accidents are, you can take steps to avoid them. Start by boosting your skills and learning what to do in certain situations. This will help you reduce the risk of human error.
Then take steps to ensure you are 100% focused and clear-headed while driving. Finally, maintain your vehicle so you can confidently roll down the road knowing your car won’t let you down.
If you are in a bad accident, check out the other areas of our blog for legal tips to securing an attorney and compensation.
