Top 10 Causes of Auto Accidents

Top 10 Causes of Auto Accidents

1.         Distracted Driving

This one should not surprise anyone.  With advancements in technology within your vehicle (GPS, moving maps, etc.) it’s no wonder that distracted driving makes it to No. 1 on the list of causes of auto accidents.  Most distracted drivers are texting, talking on their cell phones or eating when they cause an accident.

2.         Speeding

Speed kills.  This is something that, as drivers, we all know.  However, this knowledge does not stop some drivers from exceeding the speed limit by 10, 20 and sometimes 30 miles per hour.  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, speeding is a factor in 1/3 of all U.S. car crashes.

3.         Drunk Driving

No surprise here – when you get behind the wheel of a vehicle and you have had too much to drink, your chances of being involved in (and causing) a car accident go through the roof.  Over 1.5 million people were arrested last year for drinking and driving.  MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) estimates that 300,000 cases of drunk driving occur in the U.S. every day.

4.         Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is a broad category that covers everything from excessive speeding to tailgating.

5.         Rain

Bad weather contributes to many accidents, but rain is the worst.  When it rains heavily and quickly it creates dangerous situations on even the safest of roads.  The water creates slick and dangerous surfaces for all vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, 18-wheelers, commercial trucks) and often causes “one-car” accidents where a vehicle hydroplanes and spins out of control.

6.         Running Red Lights

Red means stop (even my 2-year old knows this).  However, that doesn’t mean that everyone obeys the rule.  Drivers that ignore red lights often cause “T-bone” accidents, which can be deadly.

7.         Running Stop Signs

Each year thousands of car accidents stem from a driver that failed to stop at a stop sign.  These often result in roll-over accidents that cause severe injury and death.

8.         Teenage Drivers

Lack of experience with teenage drivers is what causes most teen-involved accidents.  Teenagers should spend at least 100 hours driving with an adult supervisor prior to driving alone – and teenagers should never be allowed to drive with more than one other teen in the car.

9.         Night Driving

Driving at night nearly doubles the risk of an auto accident.  When the sun goes down your road-awareness should go up.  Many night drivers are tired and unfocused thus you should be more aware of other drivers at night.

10.       Design Defects

We all try to purchase the safest car possible (within our budget) but no car, truck or motorcycle is made perfect.  These vehicles are made up of thousands of parts and any one of those parts (if defective) could cause an accident.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, let us put our experience to work for you.  We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you.  Call Braswell Murphy today at 800-554-9260.