14 Common Misconceptions About Auto Accidents
What Causes Auto Accidents?
If you or someone you love was injured in an auto accident, you deserve to be compensated for the damages. However, before you file a claim, it's important to know the reasons why these accidents occur and what you can do to prevent them from happening in the future.
Car crashes are caused by a mix of factors. These include drivers, vehicles and environmental conditions.
1. Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is illegal in all statesand can result in auto accidents that cause injuries or even death. It's also risky for other passengers and drivers in the car, as well as bicyclists and pedestrians on the road.
The alcohol in your bloodstream could have a massive impact on your driving abilities and reaction time, especially if you drink a lot in a short time. Your coordination and decision-making skills are impaired, meaning you're not able to respond quickly enough to road conditions or other vehicles on the road.
Drinking alcohol can cause memory lapses (also called blackouts). This means that your brain does not transfer information from short-term memories into long-term ones, which means you could lose important information in the event of an incident occurring during the time you're drunk.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) One-third of all traffic deaths result from drivers who have blood alcohol levels (BAC) higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent. While the majority of those who die in accidents caused by alcohol are adults, children may be seriously injured or even killed when an impaired driver is involved.
Because they are more likely to binge drink and drink, younger drivers are more at risk of making a DUI than older adults. This is when you drink excessively alcohol over only a short amount of time. It is more common in college students and younger professionals who are accustomed to gatherings at which they can easily get alcoholic beverages.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, you are able to seek compensation for the damages through the filing of a personal injury claim. A skilled lawyer can assist you to get the compensation you require. You'll have to prove negligence and that the drunk driver was responsible for your losses. Then, you'll need to prove the drunk driver's impairment, including an eyewitness report, a police report testimony and reconstruction of the accident.
2. Speeding
Speeding is one of most frequently observed driver actions that causes auto accidents. It could also result in thousands of deaths each year.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that nearly one-third of fatal auto crashes involve speeding. Speeding can make it difficult to control your vehicle at higher speeds, making you more vulnerable to being involved in an accident.
Furthermore, speeds that are too fast for the conditions could cause other driver mistakes to be magnified, like driving too close or driving when tired. This is the reason why speeding is more common in rural areas where traffic conditions are not conducive to safe driving than in urban areas.
A judge can decide that your speeding tickets are justified if you prove that you drove safely under the circumstances. Certain states, such as Texas, have a system called "presumed Speed Limit Violations" which allows the court to determine if your speed was reasonable in the circumstances.
However, even in auto accident attorneys in houston , a judge will need to consider whether you were traveling faster than other motorists on that particular road. Additionally, your capacity to demonstrate that you were in an emergency situation or unable to slow down due to the weather or traffic could also help you beat the ticket.
Although speeding is not something that everyone should do It happens. It is especially dangerous for young drivers, since they are more likely to get caught speeding than more experienced drivers. Many states have devices that can assist in catching these drivers.
3. Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is when a driver's attention is diverted from driving. These distractions may be visual, cognitive or manual. Examples include using a cell phone or eating, texting, reading or tuning the radio using the navigation system, and dealing with passengers.
These distractions can cause drivers to lose their focus on the road and can cause danger. These distractions can make it difficult for drivers to react quickly to avoid an accident or identify a problem before it occurs.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving is a major cause of a lot of car accidents and deaths every year. Drivers could save thousands of lives every year by focusing on the road less.
Despite the fact that state laws prohibit the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices while driving, many drivers continue to use them. Researchers from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety discovered that distracted drivers had a greater chance of being involved an accident if they stared at their phones for longer than two seconds.
While using cell phones can be the most prevalent source of distraction but other activities like drinking coffee or talking to passengers eating or looking out the window, and watching a child in the back seat can cause auto accidents too. Teen drivers are especially at risk of being distracted behind the driving.
4. Failure to Yield
Drivers who fail to yield their right-of-way could cause serious injuries or even death due to their failure to yield their right-of-way. Injured parties in an accident like this can sue to recover their losses and expenses.
New York law requires drivers to yield the right of way to other vehicles approaching an intersection, stop sign or stop sign. Drivers must also yield to pedestrians who are crossing streets that are not marked with a crosswalk.
A failure to yield can cause a collision between two vehicles or an accident with pedestrians. These accidents often result in pedestrians getting injured due to the fact that they don't have same protections that vehicles.
Failure to yield may cause severe injuries based on the vehicle's speed and weight. This could include broken bones and spinal cord injuries. lacerations, and other serious injuries.
According to the National Safety Council, 15% of fatal traffic accidents are caused by failure to yield. This is a significant percentage to be taken into consideration when considering safety while driving.
Drivers who fail to yield to traffic signals may be penalized for a traffic infraction. This can lead to a suspension of their license, insurance and employment. If you've been ticketed for not yielding and you are unsure of your options, you should speak with an attorney who can assist you to learn about your legal options.
The failure to yield in a car accident lawyers from Lowney Law, LLC can investigate the causes of your accident and seek compensation on your behalf. We will scrutinize all evidence and facts in order to determine who was negligent. Then we will present a convincing case for you.
5. Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions, often referred to by T-bone and broadside crashes, are the most dangerous type of auto accident. They occur when one vehicle strikes another from the side, leading to serious injuries and sometimes fatalities.
These accidents can be caused by various reasons, such as distracted driving and the failure to yield. Malfunctioning traffic signals and poor weather conditions that reduce visibility or increases stopping distance can be the cause of these collisions.
Despite the fact that seatbelts and other safety restraints are increasingly advanced, they may not provide adequate protection in the event of a side-impact crash. These types of accidents leave more chance for death and injury than head-on or rear-end collisions.
Side-impact collisions with cars can cause injuries such as fractured bones, cuts and bruising. Injuries to the chest can also be common, including rib fractures and internal bleeding.
Side-impact accident victims typically do not get examined or seek medical attention. This can result in long-term health issues, such as concussions or brain injuries that are traumatic.
It is also important to keep in mind that these accidents can be especially dangerous for children and seniors. They can result in Aortic damage and other complicationsthat could cause deaths. In these situations it is vital to seek legal assistance from a seasoned auto accident attorney as soon as you can after the accident has occurred to ensure your rights and ensure you receive the compensation you're entitled to for the damages you sustained.