Common Causes That Lead to Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents can result from a wide range of driving behaviors and conditions. However, the outcomes are usually the same – serious damage, serious injuries, and serious consequences.
Not all car accidents can be prevented, but many can. In this blog post, we discuss some of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents, in hopes that by explaining how they happen, we can help you avoid becoming an accident victim yourself.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving consists of any driving behavior that takes a driver’s attention away from the task of operating a motor vehicle, be it a visual, motor, or cognitive distraction. Common distracted driving behaviors include texting or talking on a cell phone, eating, adjusting the radio or other in-vehicle technologies, conversing with passengers, and watching anything outside of the car other than the road ahead.
Running Red Lights and Stop Signs
Many people wrongly assume they have enough time to make it through a traffic light when they see it turning from yellow to red. Unfortunately, red means stop for a reason, and when people try to beat a red light, accidents happen. Running a red light everyone on the road at extreme risk of a deadly, high-speed, side-impact collision. This same danger exists for drivers who ignore stop signs.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is synonymous with failing to follow the rules of the road. Reckless drivers speed, tailgate, and change lanes without signaling. They treat driving as a competitive sport or an exercise in venting their emotions. In so doing, reckless drivers put themselves, their passengers, and other road users at serious risk of severe and fatal injuries.
Speeding
Speeding is not uncommon on the roadways, and it comes as no surprise that many drivers believe that violating speed limits is no big deal, especially on highways. However, speed kills. Speeding is a significant factor in almost all traffic injuries and deaths and, in 2018, resulted in 26 percent of all traffic-related fatalities. As you drive faster, your reaction time diminishes, which can prove to be fatal when you need to avoid a road hazard or to react to an unexpected situation behind the wheel.
Just remember that driving above the speed limit can quickly make you a danger on the road, which is a high price to pay to shave just minutes from your trip.
Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol should never happen. Yet, drivers continue to make the tragic mistake of believing themselves capable of driving after having a few drinks. Drinking and driving ruins lives. Your ability to function and focus starts to become impaired after your very first drink. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 people die every day from motor vehicle crashes resulting from alcohol-impaired driving. That translates into about one death every 50 minutes. Never take that chance that you are “sober enough” to drive. Use a designated driver or call for a ride instead.
Poorly Maintained Roads
Potholes and other road defects are nothing new in Nevada, and they represent a constant hazard that causes deadly motor vehicle accidents. Driving over these roadway hazards can result in a driver losing control or even a tire blowout. Motorists who swerve to avoid these dangers can end up plowing into oncoming traffic. Local and state governments have an obligation to maintain roads in minimally safe conditions. No one expects road crews to fix potholes immediately, of course, but no road should be allowed to deteriorate until it is unsafe for travel.
Bad Weather Conditions
Rain/ Ice
Most drivers, at some point in their lives, have had the frightening experience of driving on a snow or ice-covered road and the sickening feeling of losing control of a vehicle entirely. Snow and ice lead to dangerous collisions. Of course, you cannot do anything to prevent the weather, but you can try to be extra cautious when driving in these conditions.
Reckless driving, speeding, and distracted driving are bad enough on good weather days, but when the roads get slick, these driving behaviors can result in catastrophic injuries. When the weather turns nasty, remember to stay focused and remain extra vigilant on the roadway. Or better yet, if you can, wait for conditions to improve before getting behind the wheel.
High Winds
High winds are sometimes overlooked as a potentially dangerous weather condition for driving. However, strong winds can cause serious car accidents, particularly when they pick up dust or smoke from fires that obscure visibility. Remember to slow down and maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you in high winds, and pay extra attention when sharing windy roads with tractor trailers.
No one expects to get into a motor vehicle accident. By knowing about some of the common causes of crashes, however, drivers can take precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
If the worst happens and you find yourself a victim of a serious car accident, or a collision takes the life of your loved one, contact an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney right away.
You may have the right to receive significant compensation from those at fault for causing your injuries and losses. But, do not delay. Your legal rights depend on acting quickly.
Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC
626 S 10th St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
702-382-9797
