An estimated six million crashes occur in the United States each year. Of those, nearly 40, 000 results in someone’s death. Thousands more result in injuries that cause victims to miss time from work or school. Victims also tend to incur medical expenses, and they may even experience a loss of vitality, or they may be rendered disabled. Thankfully, by knowing the most common causes of crashes, drivers can reduce their risk of a serious crash. Learn more in the following sections, and discover how an experienced attorney can protect your right to compensation, should you or a loved one experience a serious or fatal car crash.
Swerving Out Of Lane
Driving is a complex task that requires all of your focus and attention. Sadly, far too many individuals allow themselves to become distracted by either external factors (the scenery, a vehicle being detained by law enforcement, a phone call, the radio, etc.) or internal ones (daydreaming, a stressful situation at work, etc.). When that happens, the driver may swerve out of his or her own lane. As “lane swerving” is one of the most common causes of car crashes (accounting for approximately 30 percent of all accidents in the United States), it is critical that you protect yourself from such drivers. Avoid anyone who is swerving in their lane, call and report drivers who seem to be intoxicated or appear to have no concern for the safety of others (i.e. driving while watching a movie on their phone), and never be the one who is driving distracted.
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end crashes can occur for a multitude of reasons, but it is generally because one vehicle is following another too closely. When the front vehicle must stop – perhaps at a red light, or because a pedestrian enters the street – the vehicle that is following it does not have enough time to respond appropriately. Rear-end crashed are responsible for approximately 23 to 30 percent of all roadway crashes, but rear-end accidents can be avoided by not following other vehicles too closely, and by ensuring that you maintain a consistent and predictable speed when you are being followed by another vehicle. If another road user continues to tailgate you, despite your attempts to maintain the speed limit, allow the tailgater to go around you by either pulling over or changing lanes when you can safely do so.
Falling Asleep at the Wheel
Statistics indicate that anywhere from 7 to 21 percent of all fatal crashes are caused by drivers who have fallen asleep behind the wheel. Some are exhausted because they have a hectic schedule. Others are not taking proper care of themselves, perhaps because of a mental health condition or stressful home life. Still, there are some drivers who are intoxicated and pass out behind the wheel. Whatever the case, you can usually reduce your risk of encountering such drivers by avoiding late night and early morning driving whenever possible.
Contact Our Appleton Car Crash Lawyers
While you can reduce your risk of experiencing a car crash, it is impossible to eliminate it entirely. That is why it is so important to know where to turn, should you or a loved one suffer a death or injury. Seasoned and experienced, Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. is the firm to trust. Schedule your free consultation with our Appleton car crash lawyers to get started. Call 920-739-7366 today.
Source:
https://lifehacker.com/the-most-common-causes-of-car-crashes-1820843841