There are at least 5 million road accidents in America every year that end up killing over 30,000 people. The most common causes of accidents are, at best, dubious. The level of recklessness among drivers on the road is high. Despite these disturbing stats, negligence on the street is commonplace. At least 40 million traffic tickets are served annually. All these paints a picture of a country that is full of lousy drivers. What are the most common driving habits that put them at risk?
Although some may refute this, a huge chunk of road accidents falls to human error. According to the Tate Law Offices official URL, avoidable accidents are a leading cause of death among people to date. If you are among the unlucky few to be involved in these accidents, you’ll definitely want to have reliable counsel with you when facing these atrocities in court. Distraction on the road, over speeding, failing to follow traffic rules, and general negligence are the most common causes of accidents.
Using a cellphone while on the wheel
Unsurprisingly, at least one in every five traffic accidents occur due to distractions related to cellphones. People are speaking on the phone while driving means that they don’t have the luxury of processing one type of information at a time. One has to concentrate on the phone, but more and more people are choosing to talk, text, operate the phone with one hand on the steering wheel. The results of such actions have been disastrous. Many people die in the process. Texting while driving is a leading cause of minor and major accidents.
Driving when you are already intoxicated
Alcohol, drugs, prescription medications, and other drugs can leave the driver intoxicated to a point where his or her reaction time is lowered and coordination impaired. Unfortunately, thousands of people now drive intoxicated amounting to a third of the overall collisions. If the person is speeding, he or she will probably never know. It is also a leading cause of road rage and aggressive driving. The problem with intoxication is that it makes it difficult for the person to make rational choices such as taking a cab.
Fatigued and drowsy driving
You cannot drive when you are sleepy. Many deaths result from drowsiness related to the long-hours driving or fatigue from work. Truck and bus drivers are often vulnerable. Experts advise you to refrain from driving if you feel sleepy. You can pack the vehicle by the roadside and take a short nap. Taking stimulants can certainly help, but your body will still demand that temporary shutdown soon after the stimulants wear off.
Speeding
Going somewhere in a hurry? You had better think twice about speeding. According to the department of justice, 25% of the traffic fatalities involve a speeding driver. Cruising at crazy speeds is a preserve of motor sporting stars. It should be something that any person should try on the road. When it comes to sport, the industry is professional, yet still, people die. Many people think that they can practice those daredevil stunts they see on TV only to end up killing themselves and other road users. There is nothing really worth speeding for because of every time you over speed, death beckons. What is that that is worth dying for? Arrive late if you must, but alive!
Disregarding traffic rules
Yellow lights say you slow down, but many people try to speed up to beat the red lights. This careless mistake leads to many accidents every year. Most drivers, if not all, know that the meaning of the traffic lights, but they disregard it. Running red lights is also a common phenomenon. Almost 1000 people died at the hands of drivers blustering through red lights. The other problem is that people rarely read road signs. The signs are there to guide you so that you can drive safely, but many still ignore them. They will be bursting cars onto railroads, galloping into blind spots, hitting bumps, and such things, which can cause accidents.
Not using road signals
Whenever one is turning, beckoning other users not to overtake, giving other users the green light to pass, requesting a leeway to pass, or slowing down, you are supposed to indicate appropriately. Many drivers ignore these simple things causing many accidents in the process. For example, if you don’t alert a driver that you are slowing down, they might end up hitting you from behind.
Most accidents on the road are avoidable. If people can follow all the traffic and driving rules, at least half of the accidents could be prevented. Unfortunately, people don’t see using a phone while driving as an issue. Others think it is cool to burst through red lights. It is a pity that driving under the influence remains a long-term concern for everyone using the road, but the figures are always damning.