The word accident means an unexpected event that causes injury or harm. Many people take that to mean that no one is at fault when an accident occurs. This is not strictly correct. As a primary example, vehicular accidents seldom happen without at least one operator being at fault for disobeying traffic regulations.
Road accidents are among the leading causes of injuries in America, with many people experiencing life-altering wounds, prolonged hospital stays, and mounting medical bills. Here are some of the common causes of vehicular accidents:
Driving while intoxicated
Many people are comfortable getting behind the wheel when they have had a few drinks or taken drugs. While these drivers might think they are perfectly capable of operating a vehicle, they are not. Scientific studies indicate that the body’s ability to respond to stimuli decreases while intoxicated, meaning that a driver’s reaction times slow.
According to attorneys from a personal injury law firm in Kansas City, drunk driving is a primary cause of vehicular accidents. The Devkota Law Firm has a devoted team of professional injury attorneys who help clients injured in accidents caused by drunk drivers. As driving under the influence is a criminal offense, those caught in the act face prosecution in addition to civil suits for any injuries or deaths they cause.
Speeding
If you were to survey drivers, it would become apparent that many use the speed limit regulations as more of a guideline than a law. Instead of sticking to the prescribed speed, they are inclined to travel faster while thinking that nothing will go wrong.
While some drivers might assume that government officials randomly select the prescribed speed, this is not how it works. Speed limits are determined by the road type, how much traffic it bears, and ideal driving conditions.
Most public service announcements tell audiences that speed kills, although few choose to believe it and respond accordingly. Speeding vehicles cannot stop on time to avoid an accident, and anyone involved in an accident caused by speeding is likely to suffer more severe injuries.
Distractions
Many drivers’ explanations for the accidents they caused start with, “I only looked away for a second.” Indeed, a second is all it takes to cause a severe accident that might leave someone dead.
States have different definitions of distractions that their laws do not tolerate among drivers. Generally speaking, drivers should consider texting, talking on the phone, fiddling with their radio, eating, and drinking as distractions that take their attention away from the road and their surroundings. Texting while driving is a significant problem among younger generations. Not even the best personal injury attorneys will be able to help their clients escape culpability for accidents they cause while doing so.
Aggressive driving
Everyone is entitled to a bad day at the office or school. However, when this translates into aggressive driving, innocent people’s lives are affected. Being stuck in traffic or contending with an inept fellow driver is frustrating, but this does not justify violent behavior.
Road rage incidents are on the increase, and many end in tragedy. Drivers who take the law into their own hands are likely to face criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits.
Fatigue
Being unable to concentrate on driving and their environment due to fatigue causes drivers to drift off to sleep and lose control of their vehicles. This is a leading cause of single-vehicle accidents as many fatigued drivers veer off the road and crash into trees or poles.
Drivers should take regular breaks during long journeys. Getting out of their cars to stretch their legs and give their minds a break can be the difference between life and death.