How to Avoid Car Accidents: Key Practices for Reducing Your Risk
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, or if you’re simply concerned about getting into a car accident, then you may be wondering how to avoid car accidents — after all, the consequences can be serious and life-altering. By understanding why and how car accidents occur, you can better understand how to avoid car accidents.
Car accident prevention is crucial in reducing the risk of car accidents. It involves understanding the main causes of car accidents and adopting safer driving practices so that you know how to avoid car accidents.
That being said, when a car accident does occur (whether it’s with other drivers or not, and whether there’s been a violation of traffic laws), it’s important that you take steps to secure your legal rights and obtain compensation to cover your losses. Contact 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a free legal consultation with one of the experienced car accident attorneys in our network.
To learn more about how to avoid car accidents, and lawsuits related to car collisions, then read on! We’ll explore some of the basics so that you are better equipped to drive safely — and to navigate the legal dispute process.
How common are motorway crashes?
Auto accidents are surprisingly common and have a significant impact. In 2022 alone, there were nearly six million car accidents across the United States — nearly 1.7 million of those crashes led to injuries, while 45,000 led to fatalities. These numbers are so high that motor vehicle accidents are actually the leading cause of death in the United States on a year-to-year basis.
What is the most common car accident?
The most common type of car accident is the rear end collision. According to the crash data, there are roughly 1.7 million rear end collisions across the United States (on an annual basis), accounting for roughly 32.5 percent of all collisions, and making them by far the most common type.
These sorts of collisions can vary quite a bit in terms of impact forces — if the frontal vehicle is moving at a similar speed to the rear vehicle, then the impact force of a collision is reduced, though the impact itself can send the frontal car out-of-control and into a secondary collision incident. When a rear-end collision occurs while the frontal vehicle (i.e., the car ahead) is stopped, then the impact force tends to be much larger and can lead to severe injury.
Brake lights play a crucial role in preventing rear-end collisions by warning drivers of sudden braking, especially in situations where drivers are distracted or tailgating.
What is one example of a car accident prevention technique?
Get your vehicle in the repair shop for regular inspections and maintenance. Practicing defensive driving techniques, especially in high-risk areas like intersections, is crucial for accident prevention. If your vehicle hasn’t been inspected in some time, then you might be dealing with technical issues that could contribute to a higher likelihood of a car accident. Break pad deterioration, for example, can easily lead to a serious car collision — and that’s a risk even if you’ve been driving cautiously and are actively trying to avoid an accident.
What are the five factors that contribute to distracted driving accidents?
The five driver-side factors that contribute to car accidents (across the United States) are:
- Recognition errors. These are primarily linked to visual issues and attentional issues (i.e., distractions). Distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents, encompassing activities like using cell phones, eating, or attending to passengers.
- Decision errors. These are linked to misinterpretation of road or traffic cues and other driving-related data. For example, a driver who decides that they do not need to use their wipers for light rain, and subsequently gets into a car crash (due to the impaired visuals) made a “decision error.” Adhering to the speed limit is crucial to prevent accidents, especially in areas with higher traffic or sharp turns.
- Performance errors. These are linked to the driver’s technical operation of the vehicle. For example, overcompensating on a turn is a “performance error” that could lead to a serious crash.
- Non-performance errors. These are linked to the driver’s mental or physical state. For example, a fatigued driver (or an intoxicated driver) has engaged in a “non-performance error.”
- Other. All other driver-related faults and mistakes fit into this category.
So, you may be wondering how to avoid car accidents. There’s no “easy” answer. Ultimately, you have to account for the possibility of these various errors and exercise caution to minimize the risk. If you’re prone to fatigue, for example, then make sure that you avoid driving unless you’ve gotten a good rest. Don’t push yourself to drive for too long at a stretch — take a break at a rest stop and nap, if necessary.
What steps should I take after a car accident?
After a car accident, there are certain steps you should take to ensure that you do not undermine your potential legal claims and to maximize your likelihood of success as litigation progresses. Consider the following:
- Obtain emergency medical attention, if necessary. If you’re in immediate need of medical attention, don’t delay in seeking out the relevant medical professionals — and don’t forget to follow through on your healthcare plan. Failure to obtain necessary medical care post-accident can undermine your claims and give the defense a strong argument against paying out your damages in full.
- Get the contact information of any eyewitnesses, if you don’t have to go to the hospital immediately. Eyewitness testimony can support your claims and help you prove your factual narrative.
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene, if you don’t have to go to the hospital immediately. This can build up the evidentiary record in support of your claims and will reaffirm your factual narrative.
- Avoid speaking to the insurance company (or their insurance adjuster) until you’ve consulted an attorney. They are hoping that you’ll make sensitive disclosures while discussing your claims — these disclosures can then be used to reject your claims submission or to underpay you.
- Get in touch with a qualified car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They will handle a variety of tasks on your behalf, beyond just courtroom advocacy — and they will ensure that your case is managed in a timely manner, too.
How much compensation am I entitled to in the event of a car accident?
In the event of a car accident, you’re entitled to recover damages (i.e., compensatory damages) that account for the losses you sustained due to the defendant’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. Claimable losses include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of property
- Healthcare expenses (i.e., medical bills for whatever medical treatment you have to undergo after the accident — this amount will be supported by your medical records)
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
- And more
Damages can vary quite a bit from case-to-case, as each plaintiff has unique life circumstances (and the injuries are likely to impact them in different ways).
For example, if you are unemployed at the time of your car accident, then your lost wages damages are likely to be insignificant. By contrast, if you are gainfully employed at the time of your car accident, and you have to take several months off from work to recover from your injuries, then your wage loss damages are likely to be significant. Given how much the damages calculation can vary, it’s critical that you consult with an experienced car accident lawyer who understands how to position your claims in such a way as to maximize your potential compensation.
Contact 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a Free Legal Consultation
If you’ve been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, then you could be entitled to sue for compensation under the law. Navigating the legal process isn’t always straightforward or simple, however — there are many unique challenges and opportunities that you’re likely to encounter as you make your way through litigation. That’s why it’s important to work with an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. We can help connect you to a qualified attorney in your area.
Contact 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a free consultation with one of the qualified local car accident lawyers in our network. During this initial consultation, you’ll be able to discuss all the details of your case and get advice on how best to proceed. We believe this is a crucial step in evaluating the next steps — whether you decide to move forward with a lawsuit, or not. You may have a number of strategic options at your disposal, and it’s worthwhile to have a conversation about these possibilities with an experienced car accident lawyer.
We look forward to assisting you.
