No one wants to be involved in a car accident yet they occur every day. One of the ways you can perhaps keep yourself safer is to learn about when and where these accidents are most common. If you have already been injured in a car accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
Most Accidents Occur Close to Your Home
Are you surprised to learn that you are much more likely to be involved in an accident when driving through your own neighborhood than you are in a neighborhood halfway across the country that you have never driven through? One study found that about 75% of motor vehicle accidents happen when the driver is within 15 miles of home.
Why? Because you more frequently drive near your home. You go to work, the grocery store, your child’s school, and other areas. If you are lucky, you live within 15 miles of these places and you travel to them more often. Likewise, when a person is driving in a new neighborhood, they are more likely to pay attention to every traffic sign while those driving in their own neighborhood are often on autopilot and not looking out as well as they should be.
Crowded Highways Are Often the Location of Accidents
There is heavy commuter traffic on many highways throughout California. This has become an even larger problem as property prices soar in larger cities, which causes many workers to reside in bedroom communities and then commute into the city. The more vehicles are on highways, the more likely it is that there will be an accident.
Rural Areas Can Have Higher Percentages of Accidents
One of the issues with rural roads is that they are less populated, which means that drivers often erroneously assume that no one is coming. Another issue is that these roads are not always safely paved and many are dangerous to drive on. According to one study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were three thousand more accidents on rural roads than urban roads in a single year.
Times of Day When Accidents Are Most Likely to Occur
Rush hour is one of the most common times for accidents to occur, due mainly to how many vehicles are on the road. Nighttime driving is also dangerous due to driver fatigue, reduced visibility, and the number of people on the road who may have been drinking before driving.
Does any of this mean that you should not drive at certain times of the day or in certain areas? No – but it does mean that being aware of the danger around you can help you prevent becoming a victim of an accident. If you have already been injured in a car accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
