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Human errors that cause road accidents

On Behalf of | Mar 3, 2022 | Personal Injury

Car accidents are caused by a number of factors. Third-party negligence, bad weather and poor roads are just some of these factors.

Most car accidents are preventable. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 94% of car accidents are caused by the following human errors.

Aggressive or reckless driving

There are multiple ways in which a driver can operate their vehicle recklessly. These include driving through the stop sign or running the red lights among others. When a driver fails to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians or other motorists, the end result can be a serious accident with property damage and injury to persons.

Reckless driving also involves operating a motor vehicle at speeds that are beyond the stipulated limits or at speeds that the specific road conditions cannot handle. A hazardous lane change that poses danger to other road users can also amount to reckless driving.

Distracted driving

Making phone calls, texting, eating or playing video games while driving are some of the most common causes of distraction for drivers. Texting is particularly dangerous because it distracts the driver manually, visually and cognitively. The result, the driver’s attention is taken away from the road causing them to miss vital details such as stop signs and even maintaining their lane.

Drunk driving

Alcohol consumption, even in small quantities, can have a great impact on the driver’s coordination, judgment and reaction time. This often results in drunk drivers making poor decisions that cause any of the following car accidents: wrong-way wrecks, pedestrian accidents as well as rear-end and head-on collisions.

Drowsy driving

Driving is a mentally-taxing job. Drivers who spend several hours behind the wheels without adequate sleep are likely to pass out due to fatigue. The result, they are likely to cause an accident.

A vehicle accident can turn your life around for the worse. If you are involved in a car accident that is not your fault, find out how you can pursue the responsible party for damages.