Every day, millions of people entrust their lives to those who are sitting behind the wheels of private cars and public transport vehicles. Green Car Congress gathered the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and found that the average number of vehicles per lane on rural roads in 2016 was 433. The average volume shoots up to 2,236 for urban roads.
No one likes to start their day anticipating how things can go wrong. However, if doing so can save you a phone call to a car accident lawyer, then it would be worth spending ten or 20 minutes before you get inside your car mulling over situations that could harm you and your passengers while on the road.
There are approximately 14,894, 912 registered vehicles in California in 2019. Of that number, 8,154,560 cars are registered in Los Angeles. If you belong to this statistic, you should know the most top causes of car accidents are so that you’ll know to avoid them.
- Alcohol Intoxication and Drug Use
Impaired driving due to alcohol intoxication and drug use remains to be one of the top causes of accidents on the road. According to the latest data from the National Safety Council based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that was published in the Insurance Information Institute (iii) website, drunk driving accidents historically increase during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2019 data shows that 28 percent of the total fatalities from car accidents nationwide were due to alcohol-impaired driving.
- Driving Errors
There are a number of driver-related causes for car accidents that are prevalent today. These include negligence and inadequate training, both of which lead to poor decision-making on the road. Grave mistakes such as driving too fast in poor weather, driving despite lacking sleep, forgetting to slow down when rounding a curve, poor control of the wheel, and misjudging distances have resulted in fatal crashes.
- The Transition to Daylight Savings
The NHTSA classifies sleepy driving under driver-related errors, but it’s worth highlighting as a category of its own because of the data. According to the findings of a new study that looked at 732, 835 car accidents in the U.S. from 1996 to 2017, incidents of fatal car crashes increase by six percent one week after daylight savings time (DST) takes effect.
The researchers cite sleep deprivation which results in drowsiness and manifestations similar to jet lag as the cause of the spike in car accidents during this period.
- Vehicle Failure
Poor car maintenance, natural wear and tear, and criminal activities like vehicular sabotage are also leading causes of car accidents. Brake failure, non-responsive steering mechanisms, engine problems, breakdown of suspension components, and blown-out and bald tires are examples of vehicle-related causes.
- Environmental Factors
Inclement weather, coupled with negligence or lack of driving skills, can be deadly for many motorists and pedestrians. Heavy rains and snow that turn roads slick and zero visibility due to thick fog are the most common causes of environment-related causes for car accidents.
Stay Aware to Stay Safe
Awareness of the things that can put you in harm’s way is the first step to avoiding terrible outcomes on the road. Knowing that highways are extra dangerous during the holiday season, for example, will prompt you to complete your business early so that you’re off the streets at a time when most drivers are rushing to get home.
If an accident still happens despite your best efforts, you can count on our car accident lawyers in Los Angeles to help you file for claims and other legal proceedings if necessary. Visit our office or call 213-514-5681 to book an appointment. You can also fill out the contact form on our website.
(This is an attorney advertisement by Joshua Haffner)
