25 Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents are very common occurrences in the United States, but many accidents can be avoided. Car accidents can lead to very serious injuries that can drastically alter your lifestyle and require an auto accident lawyer to help you recoup some of the high costs associated with tending to your injuries and repairing your vehicle. Becoming aware of the many causes of car accidents can help you avoid engaging in activities that put you at unnecessary risk.

Top 25 Causes of Car Accidents

1. Speeding. Driving at high speeds slows your ability to react to unforeseen obstacles on the road and prevents you from reacting to other drivers and unexpected turns.
2. Distracted Driving. Driving requires your undivided attention. All it takes is a split second of not looking at the road to cause a fatal accident.
3. Drunk Driving. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants alters your normal faculties and prevents you from making proper judgment while driving. If you are caught drunk driving, you are going to need the services of a Charlotte law firm specializing in DWIs.
4. Reckless Driving. Failure to drive carefully can lead to an unnecessary accident. Riding the tail of another driver, excessively changing lanes to pass cars and other activities can cause an accident.
5. Rain. Immediately after it rains, roads are most slippery, causing people to lose control of their vehicles.
6. Snow. Snow affects the ability of your car to gain traction on the road. Many cars slip and slide off the road and even completely flip during snowstorms.
7. Icy Roads. Icy roads are even more dangerous than rain. Black ice cannot be seen and an apparently dry surface can covered in black ice, making it impossible to brake hard to prevent an accident.
8. Fog. Fog tremendously decreases visibility. Sometimes it is impossible to see the car directly in front of you. When it is foggy outside, you must take special caution and drive slowly.
9. Running Red Lights. Running a red light means putting others who are abiding by the traffic signals in danger.
10. Running Stop Signs. Not stopping at a stop sign also unnecessarily endangers others who are following the traffic laws.
11. Teenage Drivers. In many cases, young drivers are inexperienced and are not as careful when driving, leading to accidents.
12. Night Driving. Decreased visibility on the road during the night makes it increasingly difficult to see what’s going on down the road.
13. Wrong Way Driving. Some people fail to see one way or wrong way signs when driving and head into oncoming traffic. This can cause devastating accidents.
14. Improper Turns. On certain roads, you are not allowed to make certain turns, and when people make them anyway, it can lead to an accident. Road signs and laws are there for a reason.
15. Design Defects. Sometimes, cars can have defects, and those defects can affect your car while you are on the road. This is why car manufacturers issue recalls. If you get into an accident because of a defect in your car, you will need a good North Carolina auto accident lawyer.
16. Potholes. Hitting a pothole throws off your original driving trajectory and can severely damage your tires, causing you to lose control of your car.
17. Street Racing. Racing is very dangerous. There are other cars on the road that are not involved and will not have enough time to react to two or more cars zipping through traffic. Street racing is very dangerous and almost guaranteed to cause an accident.
18. Flat Tires. A flat tire prevents the car from remaining balanced on the road and increases the chances of you losing control of your vehicle.
19. Road Rage. When driving angry, decision-making skills tend to suffer, and people tend to drive more aggressively, causing accidents.
20. Drowsy Driving. Driving while sleepy is almost like driving while intoxicated. Your reaction time and normal faculties are impaired, and it can be costly.
21. Curvy Roads. Roads that have a lot of curves are very difficult to traverse. Combine this with someone driving over the speed limit, and it creates a recipe for disaster.
22. Animal Crossings. When animals, both small and large, cross the road, cars try to swerve to avoid them or have to hit them head on if they do not react in time. It is hard to predict when an animal is going to to run out into the street. All that can be done is take caution.
23. Texting While Driving. It can always wait. Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do as your attention is diverted from the road and onto your phone.
24. Aggressive Driving. Riding too close to the back of another car or cutting someone off can cause you to rear end someone or cause them to hit you.
25. Construction Sites. When construction zones are improperly coned off, people are unaware of where they can and cannot go, which can lead to confusion and increase the chance of an accident.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact the auto accident attorneys at Campbell & Associates today for a free consultation.