Red-light runners kill more than 2 people every day.
Pedestrians, cyclists, passengers, and drivers, are all at risk when someone runs a red light. How can you avoid becoming a car accident victim?
Whenever you’re at an intersection, don’t assume the other drivers are going to follow the rules. Instead, protect yourself by always looking both ways for traffic, even when you have a green light. By learning about the different car accidents causes, you can start taking steps to protect yourself on the roadways.
Read on to learn the top causes of car accidents.
Distracted Driving Causes of Car Accidents
Distracted driving is at the top of our list of causes of car accidents. There are a lot of different situations that can contribute to distracted driving. One of the most obvious types of driving distracted would be texting or using other screens while driving.
Even simply navigating a GPS menu, while driving a vehicle, can cause a car accident to take place. In some cases, it’s multiple distractions that contribute to the crash. In addition to screen usage, rubbernecking can also lead to drivers’ inattention.
Rubbernecking happens whenever a driver turns their head or body to look at something other than the road in front of them. Oftentimes, rubbernecking happens at the sight of an accident that’s already taken place.
While driving by, curiosity strikes and drivers take their eyes off the road to look back and see what happened. However, in the few seconds it takes to turn around, the driver can wind up colliding with a person, vehicle, or object in front of them.
Another problem with rubbernecking is that it can cause the driver to instinctively turn the wheel, while also turning their head and body. Instead of keeping a straight path, the car can wind up swerving off course and causing a collision.
Multi-Tasking Car Accident Causes
Next, trying to multitask while driving is another example of distracted driving. For instance, eating a meal, putting on makeup, or reviewing a to-do list, can all contribute to an accident.
Even if you save the multitasking for red lights only, you’ll still be taking your mind off the task of driving. When your mind’s divided, you lessen the efficiency of your cognitive abilities. Finally, loud noises can also impair a driver’s ability to focus on driving. Things such as loud music, or noisy passengers, can all lead to a crash.
Bad Weather Auto Accidents
Moving on, rain also contributes to a lot of car accidents. However, by learning more about how to avoid accidents in bad weather, you’ll be able to protect yourself. For starters, rain immediately reduces a driver’s visibility. Not only is it more difficult to see when you’re driving in the rain, but the roadways are also slicker.
Wet slick roadways make it more likely that hydroplaning will occur. Hydroplaning happens when a car’s tires slide across a wet surface. The driver can quickly lose control of the vehicle and wind up crashing into whatever lays in the path ahead of them.
Accident Help
To avoid hydroplaning, you should regularly inspect the tread of your tires. A healthy tread will be able to disperse the water more easily, making it less likely that the wheels will wind up sliding.
Blinding Sun Glare
Next, certain times of day make it more likely for a crash to happen than others. For instance, it’s more likely that a crash will take place during the hours of the day where traffic is heavy, compared to the times of day when the roads are mostly empty.
Another dangerous time to drive would be when the sun is creating a glare. Glare tends to be the worst right before sunset, and immediately after sunrise. If possible, it’s always a good idea to adjust your schedule so you can avoid driving during the worst time of sun glare.
Even adjusting your schedule by 30 to 60 minutes can make a major difference. However, if you have to drive when there is extreme glare out, do yourself a favor by investing in a high-quality pair of sunglasses. We suggest using sunglasses that are polarized and designed for reducing glare.
Next, remember to always use the visor in your vehicle when the sunlight is blinding you. It’s also helpful if you keep your windshield squeaky clean. A clean windshield will have much better visibility, even in the worst types of sun glare.
Finally, always leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. When the sun is blinding you, it can be easy to mistakenly think you have more room than you do. By leaving extra space between you and the vehicle you’re following, you’ll reduce the chances of a rear-end collision happening.
Drunk or Drugged Driving
Moving on, let’s talk about the impact that drunk and drugged driving is having on our roadways today. Alcohol can immediately reduce brain functions. When brain functions are reduced, things such as thinking clearly, or having fast reaction times, go out the window.
Unable to reason, or operate the vehicle efficiently, drunk drivers are some of the most dangerous types of drivers out there. To make matters worse, sometimes people who are driving drunk have a blood alcohol limit that’s considered legal.
Alcohol affects everyone differently. For some, even a small amount of alcohol can affect their driving ability. Every year, people die in alcohol-related car accidents, where the at-fault driver had a legal blood alcohol limit.
Drugged Driving
One example of drugged driving occurs when people use marijuana and then get behind the wheel of a car. While marijuana may seem like a harmless and recreational drug, it can become deadly when driving is involved. THC makes it difficult for drivers to think reasonably, and it impairs their motor coordination and reaction times.
Stay Safe Out There
While you can’t control the way other drivers behave, you can start taking steps towards improving the safety of your driving. Since distracted driving is one of the top causes of car accidents, start thinking of ways you can make your vehicle a distraction-free zone.
For instance, the next time you’re driving down the road, resist the urge to check your phone. Instead, focus on the task of driving, and make our roadways a safer place! For more tips like these, read another guide.
