It is no surprise to most people that there are many car accidents in California. There are a number of efforts in place from law enforcement and the local governments to reduce the number of accidents. Unfortunately, they have not yet been successful. One of the most important things you can do to reduce your chances of causing an accident is to understand what commonly causes them.
Read the blog to learn about six major causes of car accidents. If you have been injured due to these or another reason on the road, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
- Driving While Distracted
- Driving While Drowsy
- Speeding
- Drunk Driving
- Reckless Driving
- Natural Elements
The number of distracted driving accidents – especially fatal accidents – is sharply on the rise. This can happen when a driver takes their eyes off the road to talk to someone else in the car, when they take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel to check their phone or change the music, or when they are simply daydreaming and not paying attention. Distracted driving includes eating, trying to find something in the back seat, and using any electronic device.
It is uncommon for a person to get into their car, get behind the wheel, and think that they are going to fall asleep while driving – yet it happens all too frequently. Remember that driving after 20 hours of not sleeping leaves you functioning at the same capacity as a drunk driver.
Speeding can lead to accidents in a number of ways. The driver needs more time to stop to avoid an accident, the driver can easily lose control of their car when speeding, and if an accident does occur, the impact will be far greater the faster the car is going.
With so much information out there about how dangerous it is to drive, along with the increase and easy of rideshare apps, it is an absolute tragedy that even one person dies in a drunk driving accident each year. Unfortunately, there are more than 10,000 deaths due to drunk driving in the average year.
If a driver is acting aggressively, changing lanes abruptly, following a vehicle too closely, or otherwise driving recklessly, the road is much more dangerous.
While you do not have control over whether natural elements like rain, ice, fog, and damaged roads are part of your drive, you do have a choice about whether or not to drive when there is inclement weather. Take the safer road and wait until conditions clear.
If you have been involved in an auto accident for any of the above listed reasons, or for another reason entirely, you can reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
