Most car accidents are a product of human error. This is why it’s important to drive cautiously and follow traffic laws. A single driver can cause an accident that results in injuries or even death. Here are three of the most common reasons car accidents occur.
1. Driving Under the Influence
Regardless if they use drugs or alcohol, any driver who partakes in legal or illegal use and gets behind the wheel is putting everyone’s life at risk, including their own. When under the influence, a person has lowered inhibitions, impaired vision, slurred speech and difficulty concentrating. This is a recipe for disaster for something as simple as hanging out with friends, let alone driving.
If someone is injured in a car accident and has to hire a Tampa car accident attorney, the driver who caused the wreck may be looking forward to huge fines or jail time. Even if the culprit didn’t hurt anyone, he could be charged with a misdemeanor or felony in addition to thousands of dollars in fines.
Anyone who is old enough to drink should be responsible and get a designated driver to avoid an unnecessary accident. Between friends, taxis or Uber, someone is always available to pick up a person who shouldn’t be driving.
2. Distractions
Anything that takes the driver’s eyes off of the road, hands off of the wheel or mind away from the task at hand is considered a distraction. This can be something as simple as listening to music, eating or changing a song, which are things drivers do regularly.
With the growth of technology, distractions are becoming more of a collision factor. Drivers are answering phone calls, messaging friends and looking for songs to play on their smart devices. Even answering a hands-free call is dangerous because the driver is paying attention to the phone call rather than concentrating on the road.
3. Reckless Driving
Whether a driver is swerving back and forth or speeding, the effect can be dangerous. Blatantly disregarding the law and speed limit signs are two things that drivers have complete control over.
Drivers risk losing their licenses, paying more in auto insurance or getting tickets or fines if they are lucky enough to be pulled over before causing an accident. Otherwise, they may be locked up for severely injuring someone and have to live with that guilt forever.
Being a dependable driver is key to keeping everyone on the road safe. Drivers need to keep in mind that their choices can change the lives of many other people. If a person feels that he can’t safely drive, he should be responsible enough to get off of the road.
