The Most Common Causes of a Car Accident and How You Can Avoid Them

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Driving while distracted

Perhaps the most common reason for car accidents is driving while distracted. Pretty much anything that takes your attention off the road should be considered a distraction. Checking your phone, messing with the dashboard, or even turning to speak to your passengers can end up distracting you less than a second, and that’s sometimes all it takes to end up in an accident.

The best way to avoid distractions is to be mindful of where they come from. Is your phone distracting you? Turn it off or put it on silent when you’re driving. Alternatively, use a hands-free setup so that you can take calls and listen to notifications without looking away. Do you get distracted by eating in your car? If so, avoid doing so in the first place. If you need to do something, pull over and finish what you’re doing first.

Driving too slowly because it’s perceived as safe

People often think about staying under the speed limit to avoid crashing. However, if you’re too low below the limit, you might also be prone to crashing. This is because there’s less time for people to react to you if you make a mistake while driving, and it can also be a contributor to other people’s road rage and frustrations. They might try to drive around you, or they might horn at you which distracts everyone around you. In addition, driving slowly causes a domino effect for the cars behind you, creating hazards for everyone involved.

The solution here is to stick within the speed limit, or to stay in slower lanes if needed. If something is causing you to drive slowly, then pull over and take care of it first.

Being impatient when you’re on the road

Being impatient on the road is something everyone can do now and then. Maybe someone in front of you is driving too slowly, or perhaps there’s a learner in front that is making a lot of mistakes and slowing everyone down. Recognizing these situations can help soothe your frustrations and will prevent you from getting angry, leading to more dangerous driving situations.

It’s vital that you practice patience when driving. The more patient you are, the less likely you’ll end up in an accident contacting a car accident lawyer. Impatient drivers often have a history of bad driving errors and accidents, so try your best to stay calm when you’re on the road.

Driving while you’re impaired

Driving while impaired risks not just your life, but other people’s lives on the road. Always make sure there is a sober driver in your car or use ridesharing services if needed. Your judgment and vision will be clouded, and you’ll be a danger to everyone around you.

Just don’t do it. No matter how confident you are in driving while impaired or how short the trip is, it’s never worth the risk. Not only can you end up being arrested, but you could injure people or, even worse, end up in a fatal accident.

Being too inexperienced at driving

Everyone needs to learn to drive somewhere, but inexperience behind the wheel can pose a lot of dangers which leads to an increased chance of car accidents.

New drivers should undergo plenty of training and practice to ensure they’re comfortable on the road. If you ever feel like you could learn more, consider something like a defensive driving lesson or a refresher course before you get on the road again.

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Driving while you’re sleepy

Drowsy driving is often cited as being as worse as, if not worse, than driving while impaired. It’s harder to react to things, you’ll doze off while driving, and you’ll pose a risk to everybody around you. Nobody should drive while they’re sleepy, and you also shouldn’t attempt to take medication or drink things high in caffeine just to stave off the drowsiness.

If you feel tired, pull over somewhere safe and take a moment to rest. In addition, try to avoid starting a drive if you feel tired. Opt for public transport or a ride sharing service instead.

Sticking too close to another vehicle

Sticking close to another vehicle on the road is also known as tailgating. It’s extremely dangerous and one of the leading causes of road injuries and accidents. This is because it severely cuts down your reaction time if the car in front should ever brake suddenly, and it causes a chain reaction effect behind you if you do crash.

The solution is to ensure that you have at least three seconds of time between you and the car in front. The exact distance will depend on the current speed limit of the road, but leaving more distance than you think is often the safer option.

Vehicle malfunctions as a result of no maintenance

And finally, don’t forget that your vehicle can malfunction or perform poorly due to a lack of maintenance. This could be really worn tires that diminish your ability to brake quickly, or it could be broken tail lights that make it hard to see where your vehicle is turning. If you’re caught driving with broken lights, then there’s a good chance that you’ll be pulled over and fined.

Make sure your car is always in good condition before you drive. Perform regular maintenance when possible, and take your car to a garage if you notice something strange with your vehicle. The sooner you fix these things, the less likely you’ll be in an accident in the future.