The Most Common Causes of Road Accidents
You hear about car accidents on the news all time. Car accidents are one of the biggest killers of young people worldwide. Whether you’re doing your daily commute to work, driving the kids to school or just going about your daily business, our cars are an essential part of life however motorists are putting themselves in danger every time they hit the roads. That’s why it’s essential you drive safely, particularly in these winter months, but what are the most common causes of car accidents and how can you avoid them?
Distracted Driving
The number one cause of car accidents is distracted drivers. A distracted driver is a motorist that diverts their attention from the road to text, make a call, eat, sort the kids out or change a CD. By taking your eyes off the road for only a few seconds you are putting yourself at serious risk. If you’re getting distracted, pull over!
Speeding
We’ve all seen that car speeding down the motorway, many drivers ignore the speed limit. Speed kills and travelling above the legal speed limit is the easiest way to find yourself in an accident. The faster you drive the slower your reaction will be. Think and slow down.
Driving Under the Influence of Drink or Drugs
When you drink or take illegal substances you lose your ability to focus and function properly, which is very dangerous when you’re controlling a vehicle. Driving under the influence of drink or drugs causes accidents every day. These types of accidents can be easily avoided, call a taxi or assign a designated driver if you go out for a drink.
Reckless Driving
If you don’t drive carefully you are putting yourself and other motorists at risk of a needless car accident. Reckless drivers are those who drive above the speed limit, changes lanes carelessly or too frequently or tailgate. Reckless drivers are often impatient and do not think before they act, be sure to assess the situation before making any hasty decisions and be sure to take extra precaution around aggressive drivers.
Fatigue
In the news you often hear about drunk drivers but drowsy driving isn’t publicised a lot, but how well can you expect to drive if you can’t stay awake. Most car accidents caused by drowsy driving happen at night, if you find yourself dropping off behind the wheel then pull over when it’s safe.
Weather & Road Conditions
Whether the sun is beaming, it’s pouring down with rain or the roads are slick with ice, weather and road conditions are common causes of car accidents. Even those that are experienced drivers run a serious risk of accidents. If you must drive in poor weather conditions then take it slow and be extra cautious of your surroundings. Where possible stay at home or take public transport. If you do have to drive make sure your vehicle is in an adequate condition to drive.
This news post was written by Emily Lockey on behalf of Accident Express, who specialise in car repairs in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.