Common Causes of Car Accidents

Pinellas County, Florida sees an average of 77 car accidents on a daily basis. Some of those accidents are among the eight fatal accidents that happen each day statewide. Whether death or injury is the result, the impacts are wide-reaching. For accident victims, the healing process is rife with pain, frustrations, and oppressive expenses. Those who don’t survive leave behind loved ones who face similar challenges as they grieve.

The causes of your accident may be unclear. It can be hard to make sense of the accident when you’re under stress. Hiring an accident attorney lifts this weight off of your shoulders. Your attorney can get to the bottom of the accident to ensure that the negligent parties are held responsible.

While the effects of an accident may never fully be undone, your attorney can secure the utmost compensation for you. This means recovering for medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. In addition, your attorney can secure compensation for your pain and suffering.

Distracted Driving

When taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds, you can travel 100 yards at 55 miles per hour. That’s the length of a football field. In that time, a driver can easily crash into another vehicle. Pedestrians are also at the mercy of distracted drivers who miss stop signs. Visual distractions aren’t the only danger. When a driver’s hands are occupied, they’re giving themselves inadequate time to respond to the ever-changing flow of traffic. Similarly, auditory distractions, like in-depth conversations and loud music, can impair drivers’ ability to process information. It can affect their judgment.

Drunk Driving

Florida is one of the 49 states where it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above. Despite the widespread law, drunk driving contributes to a third of traffic fatalities in the country. Drunk drivers are more inclined to speed, run red lights, and engage in other risky maneuvers. Drivers who are under the influence may also hit and run in an attempt to avoid a DUI charge. If this happens in a deserted area, injured accident victims might not have the help they need to get medical assistance.

Speeding

A typical Florida speeding ticket can set a driver back as much as $500. The steep price tag is not enough to dissuade everyone. Speeding still contributes to roughly a quarter of all traffic fatalities. Even if drivers are able to dodge an accident while speeding, the wear and tear could catch up with them later. Slamming on brakes can reduce their effectiveness later.

Intersection Accidents

Whether it’s due to distractions or impatience, drivers don’t always yield to other motorists’ right of way. That is one traffic violation that leads to accidents at intersections. Many side-impact accidents happen at intersections between cars headed in different directions. Occupants who are struck from the side can suffer catastrophic injuries including debilitating neck and back injuries.

Reckless Driving

If they can get away with it, many drivers believe there is no harm in occasionally misusing a no U-turn lane or rolling through a right turn at a red light. However, these shortcuts are a dangerous form of reckless driving. They should be avoided even when it looks like the coast is clear. Traffic can catch up to you faster than you realize. Also, unsuspecting pedestrians and cyclists count on various traffic laws to safely cross the street.

Driving Aggressively

In a recent ten year period, the number of fatal car accidents involving aggressive driving spiked by 500%. The unsafe changing of lanes is one example of aggressive driving that leads to collisions. Florida law requires drivers to maneuver safely and to use turn signals. However, motorists who are in a rush often still weave in and out of lanes unexpectedly. This gives other drivers little time to accommodate them. Impatient, hot-tempered drivers also tend to tailgate other vehicles. When the cars ahead stop suddenly, tailgaters are more inclined to cause rear-end accidents.

Driver Fatigue

With work, errands, and home life, it can seem like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Consequently, one third of adults sleep less than they should. Fatigue and the road are a dangerous, sometimes deadly, combination. Drivers who doze off can unwittingly run themselves off the road or crash into other vehicles. A CDC study revealed that one in 25 adults reported falling asleep behind the wheel. However, fatigued drivers don’t have to be asleep to cause accidents. Being drowsy reduces drivers’ reaction time. They’re less likely to brake quickly enough. They may also not adapt fast enough to changes in the road, such as curves and detours.

Defective Parts

An estimated 70 million vehicles with a recall are in use. Unfortunately, many of these recalled parts could be critical such as brakes and engines. Manufacturers have sizable insurance policies to cover accidents that result from defective parts. However, if you’re injured in one of these accidents, you may not know that a faulty part contributed to it. An experienced personal injury attorney can thoroughly investigate the causes behind your accident.

Contact an Experienced Florida Car Accident Attorney

If you are the victim of a car accident, speak with an experienced car accident attorney of Jones Law Group. Our attorneys bring a wealth of background knowledge to our car accident cases, while still evaluating each unique claim so that no detail goes unnoticed. We won’t rest until you’re fairly compensated. Our no-pressure initial consultations are free. Contact us online or by phone at 727-571-1333.