Every day in the United States, we lose 90 lives to road crashes.
The most painful thing about this loss is these deaths are completely preventable. If everybody followed traffic rules and drove responsibly, the number of road crashes in the country would significantly go down.
But then, road accidents keep happening. People keep losing their lives. Many of those who are lucky enough to make it out of a crash alive sustain life-changing injuries.
Have you ever wondered what the leading causes of car accidents are in the U.S? In this article, we are fleshing out some of the most common causes.
Buckle up and read on!
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving hasn’t always been the leading cause of car crashes. In the past, most drivers were careful, focusing on the road every time they were behind the wheel.
However, as technology advanced, drivers started becoming distracted. Today, it’s not uncommon to find drivers talking on the phone, texting, or even checking their social media feeds as they drive. Others will be drinking their lattes, applying makeup, tuning the stereo, and whatnot.
Being distracted, even for a second, can have disastrous consequences. Distracted driving is especially the reason for most intersection crashes. You can find out more about what the other causes of this type of road accidents are.
Drunk Driving
Of the 90 people that die in road crashes every day, 30 can be attributed to accidents caused by drunk driving.
Clearly, driving under the influence or while intoxicated is a big issue on our roads. What’s puzzling is drunk drivers always know the risk they’re taking every time they drive under the influence, yet they do it anyway.
Alcohol impairs your judgment, so you’re bound to crash if you drive while drunk.
Driving Too Fast
Driving fast is exhilarating. There’s nothing quite like testing the power your car packs under the hood. Unfortunately, speeding on public roads kills.
There’s a reason there are speed limits on every public road in the United States. If you go beyond the limit, getting a speeding ticket isn’t the only possible outcome. You could crash and injure or kill yourself and other road users.
Sure, the temptation to go hard on the gas pedal is always there, but unless you’re on a racetrack, you shouldn’t overspeed.
Bad Weather
We have no control over the weather. Sometimes it rains or snows so bad, making driving a more challenging task.
We, however, do have complete control over our driving decisions. The only problem is some drivers choose to drive in bad weather.
If you do this, you risk causing or being involved in an accident. Bad weather, especially rain, reduces visibility and makes the road slippery, which affects your car’s braking ability.
Does it even make sense to blame bad weather for road crashes? It’s more about poor driver decision-making than it’s about bad weather, really.
Those Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents
A car crash can end your life or leave you with severe injuries. It’s important to play your part and drive safely and responsibly. And now that you know the leading causes of car accidents, you’re in a better position to make better decisions the next time you hit the road.
Stay tuned to our blog for more consumer tips and advice.