Car accidents are one of the leading causes of untimely death and injury in the United States each year. Big cities are particularly at risk for pedestrians getting struck in crosswalks and while jaywalking illegally. In fact, in towns like Chicago and Los Angeles, with millions of drivers on the road each day, there is a small but significant risk of an accident that could cause severe injury even though you might be enclosed in the protective shell of your passenger vehicle or light truck. When drivers understand some of the largest reasons why these accidents occur, they can become more preventable.
Below are some of the main reasons that car accidents happen in the US:
1. Reckless Driving and Speeding: This one should be pretty obvious for anyone that has driven in Southern California. The rate of speed and increased risk of accident go hand in hand.
2. Cell Phone Use: Cell phone distraction can be one of the most dangerous factors on the road today. These mobile phones are often prohibited from being used while driving, but many, especially young adults, still use these phones. Calling and texting while driving are a major hazard.
3. Distracted Driving: Beyond cell phone use, many people are distracted by various other events in the car. People often try to fit in other activities with their daily commute, including smoking, eating, drinking, listening to the radio, and finding things in the car. This coupled with talking to the passengers can all leave a driver distracted and not paying attention to his or her surroundings.
4. Fatigue: Drivers often want to push on that one last hour to get to the destination. Nearly 3% of all road fatalities and 100,000 crashes are due to being tired or asleep at the wheel, according to NHTSA statistics.
5. Drinking and Drug Use While Driving: Drinking and driving is one of the most recognizable causes of severe car accidents. DUI and/or DWI are illegal in every state and pose a major threat to motorists. A similar risk comes from driving while on medication or illegal drugs. Government statistics show that 10,000 people are killed by drunk driving each year.
6. Rubbernecking: Most drivers have done it: looking over the shoulder to see what happened on the side of the road. Often this is due to curiosity about car accidents, scenic views, road signs, or other things that would distract the driver.
7. Damaged or Defective Auto Parts: Improper manufacture of car or truck parts at the factory or their poor installation could cause many problems. There are many cases where a car company or subsidiary was not responsible and could be held liable for their error.
8. Road Defects: Along with issues of faulty car construction, the same could happen with the road. Poor paving, signage, or design can all play major factors in causing car accidents and injury. The government agency that constructed such a defective driving surface can be held liable.
9. The weather is a common determinant of car accidents, especially in Chicago. While less likely in California, fog, ice, drought, and rain all play major factors. Dusty wind could cause severe issues and travel to other states, such as Nevada, Arizona, or even eastern California areas like Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, CA. People not familiar with these new conditions, such as a wet road after a fresh rain in Los Angeles, can result in even worse weather-related accidents.
Most people from Chicago are used to driving on wet roads, but if they are visiting out west, they must remember that places like Southern California rarely get rain. As a vacationer, you must always remember that oil float on water. After a fresh rain, all the leaked oil and gasoline products that have built up on the road rise to the surface and in the Golden State, many drivers wipe out until the slick surface is finally washed away.
With the California drought, we expect to see more of these flash floods and bad rain-related crashes when the rain actually does come down. If you are a California tourist visiting Chicago, you must bear in mind that the roads are usually salted, and there can be conditions like “black ice” and many other hazards you are not prepared for since you have never experienced them. It may be helpful to take a cab and have a relative drive for you if the conditions are wintertime and slick.
10. Construction Zone Hazards: States and local work crews try their best to keep construction zones clear and safe. Unfortunately, when the area is not safely marked and cordoned off, drivers could accidentally drive into the zone and not even realize it. Collisions with unfinished pavement, equipment, or even workers are all possible.
Hiring a Lawyer is Sometimes Your Only Option
If you have been involved in an accident due to any of these or related causes, sometimes you are on your back and cannot even get to work. This means you will go broke unless you hire a lawyer. If you believe your only option is getting an expert opinion, please make sure to contact a legal expert about how to proceed before you blow a statute or something.
Skilled attorneys can be found on attorney rating sites like Best Lawyers, AVVO, Personal Injury Warriors International, or Circle of Legal Trust. Many of their tort lawyer members are auto accident and personal injury experts. Call a trained professional today to set up an appointment.