Top Causes of Car Accidents and How to Avoid Them

Car accidents can lead to serious permanent injuries. Many road accidents happen due to the ignorance and lack of information on how to prevent them. Some of the car accident causes are obvious and repetitive to drivers, but still, they neglect the possibility of bad things happening because they don’t care enough.

What are the common causes of car accidents?

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WRONG WAY DRIVE

When behind the wheel, everyone can have lapses in judgment. These can turn a simple decision into potential permanent consequences. Deciding to turn down a one-way street is dangerous not only for yourself but the other drivers who are following the right side of the traffic. It could lead to an accident, especially when the turn is abrupt.

TAILGATING

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Driving so close to another car as what many impatient and reckless drivers do, is dangerous due to the little reaction time they have when the car in front suddenly brakes. Many fatal road accidents happen due to tailgating another car at high speeds. Avoid this by giving a car-length distance between you and the car in front. 

ICE

Nothing beats the longing for some warmth in the comfort of your fireplace after a journey during winter. As you speed home, the next thing you realize is that you are spinning out of control, dangerously hitting black ice. This is a major cause of vehicular accidents during cold weather. 

ROAD RAGE

At one time or another, you have had an experience of racing against a motorist who won’t give way. Or maybe both of you were trying to show bravado. One or both of you may be overcome by rage, leading to decision making based on emotions. This could lead to an accident. 

DROWSY DRIVER

How well can we expect anyone to drive when they are having trouble to stay awake? Some drivers are overworked due to driving long hours. As such, they become drowsy behind the wheels.   Most drowsy driving happens at night. If you find yourself with the urge to sleep, you need to pull over where it is safe and take a quick nap to recover from the fatigue.

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FOG

While driving, the sense of sight is important. Fog disables this ability temporarily, making it difficult to see the car in front of you. Avoid this by using headlights. Also, avoid using high beams.

ANIMAL CROSSINGS

You have seen this in the movies or television. Wild animals do not care; they just cross. Since they do not reason, it is upon you as a human being to reason and be cautious. When you see an animal crossing sign, be vigilant about the possibility.  Use high beams while driving in wooded areas.

STREET RACING

The film Fast and Furious is cool for sure. However, street racing has caused deadly car accidents. The turbo-charged engines, nitrous oxide boosters, and the cars reaching incredible speeds in the streets make the races more dangerous. In the case of an accident, there is a slight chance of survival. 

DISTRACTED DRIVER

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This is the number one cause of car accidents. A distracted driver has diverted his attention to something else far from the road, making him less aware of what lies ahead in front. The usual distractions could be hunger, mobile devices, or the ultimate cliché of dropping something and trying to get it while driving.

SPEEDING

Many drivers ignore the speed limit. They may not be paying attention to the required limit, or maybe they just want to break free. Either way, overspeeding endangers the driver and other road users. The speed limit is there for a reason. 

DRUNK DRIVING

You don’t only lose inhibition when drunk but also the focus needed and the function to judge the safety and mechanics of driving. Driving under alcohol influence could cause an accident and lead to permanent injuries. 

[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”] “Millions of deaths would not have happened if it weren’t for the consumption of alcohol. The same can be said about millions of births.” —  Mokokoma Mokhonoana [/su_quote]