The Top 3 Causes of Car Accidents in the United States
When you’re in a car wreck, it’s easy to point fingers and blame the other driver, the bad weather, or anything else. Truthfully, you could very well be at fault for your car accident — although you should be sure never to admit that at the scene of an incident.
However, there are numerous reasons why you could’ve been in a car accident and sometimes they aren’t as victimless (or sinister) as you may think. Below are the most common causes of car accidents in the United States. Do your best to avoid them.
#1 – Distracted Driving No, the leading cause of car accidents isn’t malicious drunk drivers or escaped zoo animals stampeding the highway; it’s distracted driving. Any time you take your eyes off of the road and divert your attention elsewhere, you’re being a distracted driver. Even something as seemingly innocent as turning the radio station or finding that piece of gum in your center console can distract you enough to cause an accident.
#2 – Speeding Despite how ridiculously slow they may seem, the posted speed limits on the roadways are there to keep you and the other drivers safe. Even if you feel as though you can handle going a greater speed, you will still encounter other drivers who are going the speed limit. Not only can you cause an accident due to a higher reliance on your brakes, but your reaction time is greatly reduced at higher speeds. Stick to the speed limit to keep yourself and everyone around you safe on the roads.
#3 – Drunk Driving Here’s what everyone has been waiting for but wait, it’s only number three? While drunk driving is extremely dangerous and can cause fatal car wrecks, it isn’t as common as speeding or distracted driving. However, you should still drive sober or get pulled over. If you’ve been in a car accident while driving drunk, you should contact car accident attorneys right away.
Over 37,000 people die each year in motor vehicle accidents each year on American roads. While you might get lucky and come out relatively unscratched, you’re just one of millions of car wrecks that occur annually. Knowing what causes accidents and learning to avoid them can be your best chance at keeping your wheels on the road.
Have you been in a car accident that has left you injured or in financial turmoil? Conact the car accident lawyers at Stipp Law Firm today.