In the United States of America there are hundreds of thousands of auto accidents each and every year. It is no surprise then that they are the top cause of fatalities in the country and a huge source of patients in our emergency rooms and in our hospital beds. Because of this, they are treated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of their biggest concerns.
The most effective way of preventing auto accidents is by first understanding exactly how it is that they happen. For this reason we intend to take a look at some of the most common causes and educate the driving public about the risks that they face each and every time that they get behind the wheel and how best to not become another statistic.
Anyone that is the victim of an auto accident is fully entitled to receive compensation for the injuries that they have received, along with any loss of earnings experienced or any costs that they have incurred as a result, such as through medical bills. If you have been involved in an auto accident that was not your fault, then get in contact with a Lawrenceville Car Accident Lawyer today to get the financial recompense that you deserve.
Auto accident Statistics
Auto accidents take a very heavy toll on various communities, families, and drivers across the entire United States of America. This is illustrated by figures out of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) that show there are in excess of 6.5 million auto accidents each and every year. Of these accidents, 2.7 million of them result in injuries and over 36,000 fatalities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the cost to the American economy of these many millions of auto accidents equates to a figure that is in excess of $75 billion on an annual basis. This does not even take into account the emotional and physical suffering that comes from these accidents.
By looking at traffic reports and data from official government bodies and authorities such as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and various other state and local level motor departments, it is clear to see that there are a number of common factors that play a part in auto accidents. These are listed below.
Driving Too Fast
Speeding is a major contributor to a large number of auto accidents on the roads in the United States of America. This is no surprise given the fact that studies show how more than two thirds of automobiles travelling on the country’s country roads, city streets, and interstate highways are doing so above the speed limit. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, including being late for something, habit, being emotionally charged, and enjoying the thrill of going fast. However, by speeding you are more prone to having an auto accident and thus endangering your own life and that of others.
This is because travelling at high speed seriously impacts upon reaction times, meaning that if a hazard presents itself in the road, you have to act faster in order to avoid it. In addition to this, the automobile also needs a longer distance / time to come to a complete and controlled stop. Travelling at high speeds also makes an automobile that much more susceptive to losing control from poor weather conditions like ice, snow, and / or rain.
In addition to this, the force of an impact in the event of an auto accident is greatly increased with speed. As you can imagine the energy given off by two automobiles colliding at 30 miles per hour is much less great than two automobiles colliding at 90 miles per hour.
Being Distracted
A distraction is considered to be anything that takes your hands off of the steering wheel, your eyes from off of the road, or your thoughts away from focusing on the act of driving an automobile. Most of these distractions are things that are inherently unsafe, although some of the actions are done subconsciously and without thinking about it. Although this may not be something that as humans we can stop ourselves from doing, nonetheless it does lead to situations that are unsafe and likely to cause an auto accident.
Some of the most common distractions include things like cell phones, in car music systems, other people in the automobile, other drivers on the road, food and drinks, and daydreaming about things other than driving. The reason why many drivers do this is because they think that they are able to multitask whilst driving their automobile. The latest research actually shows however that this is not true and that we do not have the ability to do other things whilst driving an automobile.
Driving Under The Influence
Those drivers who get behind the wheel of a car whilst being under the influence of either alcohol or prescription / illicit drugs are responsible for tens of thousands of auto accidents in America each and every year. On average between a quarter and a third of fatal accidents on the country’s roads are caused by those drivers whose ability has been greatly impaired through the consumption of alcohol or drugs, or both together.
Drinking any amount of alcohol prior to driving is never a good idea and drinking over a certain amount is actually illegal, as well as being incredibly dangerous. This is because even having just one drink of alcohol can and does impact on your vision, your coordination skills, and your ability to make sound judgments, thus increasing your chance of being involved in an auto accident. The same is also true for taking drugs – both legal and illegal ones – as they have the ability to significantly dull the senses.
Other factors that play a part in auto accidents include feeling drowsy or fatigues and not paying sufficient attention to the road and other drivers.
