What Causes Auto Accidents?
You or someone you care about has been injured in an auto accident. You are entitled to compensation for your loss. But, before filing an action, it's essential to know why these accidents happen and what can be done to prevent them from happening again in the future.
Car crashes can be caused by a myriad of factors. These include vehicles, drivers, and environmental conditions.
1. Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is a crime in all statesand can cause auto accidents that result in injury or death. It's also dangerous for the other drivers and passengers in the car and pedestrians and bicyclists on the road.
The amount of alcohol in your bloodstream can have an enormous impact on your driving capabilities and reaction time, particularly when you drink a lot in a short time. You're impaired in your decision-making and coordination abilities, which means you're unable to react quickly enough to the traffic conditions and other vehicles on the road.
Drinking can also cause memory interruptions (also known as blackouts). This means that your brain doesn't transfer information from short-term memories into long-term ones, and so you could lose important information in the event of an incident occurring while you're drinking.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the majority of traffic fatalities are caused by crashes which involve drivers who have a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Although the majority of people who die in accidents caused by alcohol are adults, children may also be seriously injured or even killed when a driver is impaired.
Younger drivers are at greater risk for committing a DUI than older drivers due to the fact that they are more prone to drinking excessively. This means drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in the course of a short time. It's also more common in college students and younger professionals who attend social gatherings where they can easily consume alcohol.
If you or a loved one is injured in an accident caused by drunk driver, you may seek compensation for the damages through the filing of an injury claim. A skilled lawyer can help you obtain the compensation you need. You'll need to establish negligence per se and prove that the drunk driver was responsible for your losses. The next step is to prove that you were intoxicated by the drunk driver. This includes eyewitness testimony as well as reconstruction of the accident.
2. Speeding
Speeding is one of most common driver behavior that leads to auto accidents. It is also a risky activity that can cause thousands of preventable deaths every year.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that nearly three-quarters (33 percent) of all fatal auto accidents result from speeding. The issue with speeding is that it's hard to control your vehicle when you are at a higher speed which can make you more susceptible to getting into an accident.
Speeds that are too high for the conditions can make other driver mistakes worse, like speeding too fast or being exhausted. This is the reason why speeding is more prevalent in rural areas where the traffic conditions are less conducive to safe driving than in urban areas.
If you're charged with speeding, you can try to convince an officer that you drove safely in the circumstances that day. Some states, like Texas have a system known as "presumed Speed Limit Violations" which allows the court to decide whether your speed was reasonable considering the circumstances.
However in these instances, a judge will need to decide if you were traveling faster than other drivers on that particular road. You may also be able to prove that you were in a situation of emergency situation or were not able to slow down due to traffic or weather conditions, which can assist you in getting a more favorable ticket.
Speeding isn't something anyone should do all the time However, it happens. It's especially dangerous for young drivers, as they are more likely to get caught speeding than older drivers. atlanta auto accident attorney have tools that aid in the pursuit of these drivers.
3. Distracted driving
Distracted driving is a set of activities that distract drivers from the actual driving. These distractions could be manual, visual, or cognitive. Examples include using a cell phone or texting, reading, eating or tuning the radio using the navigation system, and conversing with passengers.
These distractions can cause drivers to lose focus on the road and cause danger. These distractions can make it difficult for drivers to react quickly enough to avoid an accident, or to detect problems prior to it happening.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Distracted driving is responsible for thousands of car accidents and deaths every year. In reality, tens to thousands of lives could be saved every year if drivers just put aside any activity that takes their focus away from the road.
Despite the fact that a lot of users continue to use cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, despite the laws of the state that ban them yet, they are used by a large number of. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Researchers found that drivers who looked at their phones or distracted for more than two minutes increased their chances of being in a crash.
While using cell phones can be the most frequent source of distraction however, other activities like drinking coffee or talking to passengers eating and looking out the window, or checking on a child in the back seat can lead to accidents in the car as well. Teen drivers are at the highest risk of being distracted behind the steering wheel.
4. Failure to Yield
If a driver fails yield the right of way, they can cause an auto accident that causes serious injuries or even death. The injured parties in an accident like this can sue to recuperate their losses and expenses.
New York law requires drivers to yield the right-of-way other vehicles that are approaching an intersection such as a stop sign, stop or stop sign. Drivers must also yield to pedestrians who is crossing a street that is not the crosswalk.
Failure to yield can result in collisions between two vehicles or an accident with pedestrians. People who walk on the sidewalk are often injured in these accidents since they do not have the same protections that vehicles do.
Based on the speed and the weight of the vehicle the failure to stop collisions could cause serious physical injuries. This can include broken bones and spinal cord injuries. lacerations and other serious injuries.
The National Safety Council estimates that crashes that do not yield make up 15% of all fatal traffic accidents. This is a substantial percentage and should be considered when evaluating the safety of driving.
Drivers who fail to yield may be accused of a traffic offense which can impact their license, insurance, or employment. An attorney can help you understand your legal options if you're ticketed for not to yield.
Lowney Law, LLC can assist you in filing an appeal for compensation for the failure to yield car accident. We will examine the evidence and facts to determine who was the negligent party. Then we will file a strong case for you.
5. Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions, also referred to as broadside or T-bone crashes are among the most hazardous types of auto accidents. These accidents occur when a vehicle hits another vehicle from the side. They can cause serious injuries and even fatalities.
These accidents can be caused by various reasons, including distracted driving or a failure to yield. Traffic signals that are not functioning properly and poor weather conditions that decrease visibility or extends stopping distance can cause these kinds of collisions.
Although seatbelts and other safety devices have improved but they aren't enough protection against collisions that cause side-impacts. These kinds of accidents create more risk of death and injury than head-on or rear-end collisions.
Side-impact car accidents can result in injuries such as fractured bones, cuts and bruises. Common chest injuries include rib fractures and internal bleeding.
Unfortunately, many victims of side-impact collisions do not make the mistake of waiting too long to be evaluated or fail to seek medical attention at all. This can lead to chronic symptoms, like concussions or traumatic brain injuries.
It is also important to remember that these crashes can be especially dangerous for children and seniors. These crashes can result in aortic damage and other serious issues that could lead to death. It is imperative to seek legal advice from a seasoned auto accident lawyer immediately following a crash to protect your rights and ensure you get the compensation you're entitled for your injuries.