No one wants to be involved in a car accident. It’s stressful and leads to negative consequences, such as permanent injuries and damage to your vehicle. However, car accidents are still common and affect over 160,000 motorists yearly. Despite advancements in technology that reduce the occurrence of car accidents, many drivers find themselves in collisions and other forms of road accidents for various other reasons that can be easily avoided.
Even the smallest accidents can have a significant impact on your life so it’s advisable to watch out for these causes of accidents and do your best to avoid them and the pain and suffering that comes with them. Today, we’re examining some of the top causes of car accidents to help you understand the decisions you can make while driving to reduce your risks of getting into one.
Distracted driving
Distracted drivers are among the leading causes of car accidents. Many things can be distracting and take your attention off the road while driving. Some of the most common distractions for drivers include texting, eating, and taking phone calls. Driving carefully requires having your complete attention on the road so you can watch for other motorists, road signs, and pedestrians. It also increases your reaction time and allows you to maintain a lane.
Car accidents from distracted driving can be easily prevented. Remember, these distractions can wait and you’ll attend to them when at your destination. Many experienced drivers think they can multitask and attend to multiple things at once but this is often wrong as the human brain can’t fully focus on multiple tasks at once.
Impaired driving
Driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other mind-altering substances is a crime, but, nevertheless, many drivers still get behind the wheel while in this unstable state. Impaired drivers have a slower reaction time and their senses are dull. They also may not make the right decisions and find it difficult to stay in a lane, focus, or function properly.
Car accidents caused by impaired drivers are also prominent worldwide, although numbers have dropped thanks to educational efforts from organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and heightened laws.
It’s best to let someone else handle the driving when you’ve had a drink or taken any drugs or medication that affects your cognitive functions. Always have a sober designated driver in charge of getting you home safely.
Speeding
Many drivers are guilty of driving over the speed limit. No matter how important getting to your destination is or how big of an emergency you’re facing, remember that driving too fast is dangerous. Speeding compromises your reaction time and makes it harder to stop an accident. It’s much easier to brake, turn, and halt a vehicle that isn’t driving at full speed. Some drivers also engage in races and stunt shows which can also be dangerous if the driver loses control of their vehicle.
Stay within speed limits, especially on congested roads and in residential areas. Adhering to the speed limit increases your reaction times and reduces the likelihood of getting into speed-related accidents.
What to do following a collision
Being in a car collision can be stressful, scary, and overwhelming. However, it’s important to take the following steps if you’re capable.
Step 1. Stop your vehicle. It can be tempting to keep driving If you’ve been in a collision and haven’t suffered much damage. However, you may be subject to legal repercussions if you leave the scene of a collision without reporting it.
Step 2. Call the police or emergency services if anyone is injured or the damages to either vehicle are worth more than $2000 (as far as you can best estimate yourself). You should also call the police if any of the drivers appear to be guilty of violating a criminal code, such as impaired driving.
Step 3. Get out of your vehicle and take pictures, videos, and other evidence and records of the scene before anything is moved. Only exit your car if it’s safe to do so without injuring yourself or anyone else.
Step 4. Move your vehicle off the road to protect other motorists. If you can’t move your vehicles, turn on hazard lights, and place a traffic cone or warning triangle to alert oncoming vehicles of the collision ahead. Doing this will give other cars time to slow down, turn, and take other steps to prevent their cars from driving into a collision.
Step 5. Record and exchange information with the other driver to submit to insurance companies. Call your insurance company to report the event, file a claim, and proceed with the appropriate next steps.
Step 6. Get your car to a qualified auto repair shop near you to get an estimate for repairs, and have your car fixed.
What you can do to avoid collision
Most collisions are avoidable and can be prevented by using the following tips.
Maintain your distance. Always keep enough distance between your car and the car in front of you. it‘ll help you react in time and allow you to stop safely where needed. We recommend staying at least three seconds away from the car ahead of you. This distance can be increased when driving in unfavourable weather conditions, such as heavy snowfall or if you’re driving a larger vehicle.
Avoid distractions. Pay full attention to the road and your driving so you have enough time to react if something goes wrong ahead of you or behind you.
Do not drive under the influence. Whether you’ve taken medication that makes you drowsy or had alcohol, driving while impaired can lead to poor decisions or falling asleep behind the wheel. Let someone else drive your car home or get a taxi.
Follow the speed limit. Always drive within speed limits and avoid going too fast. This is important even when you’re the only driver on the road. Overspeeding can lead to losing control of your vehicle and running into parked cars or other structures.
Refresh your driving skills for the weather. Driving in snow storms or floods are not the same as driving on clean, dry roads. Drive slowly in extreme weather conditions so you can maintain control.
Practice defensive driving. Watch out for other motorists while driving. You may do everything in your power to avoid a collision and still fall into an unfortunate event thanks to someone else’s carelessness. Look out for speeding motorists, and take a moment before driving ahead after a green light to ensure there are no oncoming vehicles trying to beat the lights. Always stay cautious and assess your surroundings, check traffic, and use your mirrors.
Doing your part to avoid a collision can be the difference between life and death in a car accident. Contact Simplicity Car Care If you’ve been in a car accident and need accident repair services. Our team of technicians has years of experience repairing heavily damaged vehicles.
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