By now, you know how traumatic car accidents can be, and encountering one can be a source of physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial hardships for which nobody can prepare. In any situation where someone else is the root of your car accident, you should be well aware of how causation plays a role in pursuing compensation.
Unfortunately, negligence comes in many forms, and millions of people suffer injuries each year because of other individual’s actions. If you recognize how someone else may cause you harm, it can help through the legal process.
Below are 10 of the biggest dangers on the road:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Alcohol
- Reckless driving
- Weather
- Running red lights
- Running stop signs
- Inexperience
- Visibility
- Road hazards
If someone else causes you harm in a car accident, you can count on us to help you. Call our firm today at (512) 400-3278.
1. Distracted Driving
Eating, texting, turning to passengers, and several other actions constitute distracted driving, and they are some of the most dangerous actions. When a distraction takes a driver’s focus off the road, and that driver causes a significant crash, they can be liable for the damages that you sustain.
Many drivers know that texting and driving cause countless accidents each year. That’s because texting and driving combine all forms of distracted driving (visual, manual, and cognitive). You may recognize a distracted driver if they are swerving between lanes, braking erratically, speeding up to catch up to traffic, or you see them looking down or away from the road constantly.
2. Speeding
Speeding is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do because they can lose control of their vehicle, which can cause someone to suffer catastrophic injuries in a crash at high speeds. Unfortunately, these accidents are also some of the most common.
Most speed limits are reasonable, but in some situations, drivers hit 80 to 100 miles per hour, sometimes even more. The force of a heavy vehicle at high speeds is enough to cause fatal damages or life-altering injuries. Speeding also limits a driver’s response time, which most often leads to rear-end collisions.
3. Alcohol
Drunk driving can significantly alter someone’s abilities on the road. Alcohol can reduce reaction time, impact depth perception, cause fatigue, and create several other problems. Even if someone drives while “buzzed,” they can experience issues and cause a severe crash.
Drunk driving is one of the top three most common causes of car accidents on the road, and they are also some of the most preventable. It’s apparent negligence, and the driver should be held fully accountable for their actions.
4. Reckless Driving
Reckless driving can include all other causes on this list, but one of the most dangerous forms of reckless driving is aggressive driving. Driving aggressively can include:
- Tailgating
- Cutting off other drivers
- Honking (which causes a distraction)
- Following other vehicles from lane to lane to start an altercation
5. Weather
Cold temperatures, hot temperatures, wind, rain, snow, and other weather conditions can create significant hazards. Weather conditions may lead to tire blowouts, losing control, visibility issues, hydroplaning, and more issues.
While weather conditions may impact a crash, there may still be ways to hold someone liable for your damages, especially when someone drives unsafe for conditions or fails to maintain their vehicle.
6. Running Red Lights
While there are usually underlying issues that lead to someone running a red light, this is a situation that often results in some of the worst harm. Most intersection accidents involving running red lights leads to T-bone crashes, which can collapse the vehicle frame and cause catastrophic injuries.
7. Running Stop Signs
Running a stop sign may lead to similar accidents as running a red light, but it can also involve left-turn accidents. Typically, running stop signs can occur because of speeding, distractions, drunk driving, fatigue, and negligent acts.
Unfortunately, running a stop sign can also involve pedestrian accidents, which cause some of the worst types of injuries because a pedestrian doesn’t have the same protections as a vehicle driver.
8. Inexperience
Car accidents can occur because of inexperienced and younger drivers. Unfortunately, those just starting their driving experience may not fully understand the different dangers on the road. An inexperienced driver can also have passengers, which can be some of the biggest distractions.
Inexperienced drivers may also react poorly to other dangers on the road. For instance, if an inexperienced driver approaches traffic too quickly, they may have issues with stopping in time. Instead, they swerve into another lane where a vehicle is already at, which can cause a crash.
9. Visibility
Any issue involving visibility issues can lead to a significant car accident. For instance, fog and rain in the winter weather can impact how far a driver can see in front of their vehicle, and it could lead to rear-end collisions, intersection injuries, and more.
Visibility problems can include worn windshield wipers. A driver who uses the window cleaner and windshield wiper function on their vehicle expects a clear view, but worn windshield wipers can result in streaks, impacting visibility and heightening the possibility of a crash.
10. Road Hazards
While you expect roads to receive regular maintenance, several issues can arise that can cause significant damages in a car accident. Here are some of the most dangerous road hazards that can exist and how they can cause harm:
- Potholes can cause a tire blowout, especially when a tire doesn’t have a lot of traction. A tire blowout can send a vehicle out of control.
- Missing traffic signals such as stop signs or traffic lights can cause drivers to crash at an intersection. A traffic sign may also be covered by foliage, which may cause a driver to not stop at a crosswalk.
- Debris in the road can also create problems involving a driver either running over an item and causing them to lose control or trying to swerve around the debris and sideswiping another driver.
It’s often a government agency responsible for maintaining roads and ensuring they are safe for travel. When road hazards cause a significant accident, it’s crucial to hire a lawyer to recognize your rights and learn who you may file a claim against for compensation.
At Briggle & Polan, PLLC, we know just how difficult it can be to experience a problem on the road. Car accidents result in millions of injuries each year, and many of them are catastrophic or life-threatening. Whenever you encounter damages because of someone else’s negligence, we’ll be there by your side to help you move forward and pursue the most favorable outcome possible.
It’s our goal to help you obtain the maximum compensation to which you are entitled. Our Austin car accident attorneys put your needs first, going the extra mile to protect your rights throughout the entire process. When you need strong legal advocacy to deal with unethical insurance adjusters, we will be in your corner and give you a voice against negligence and pursue the justice you deserve after a devastating incident.
For a free consultation to discuss your case, we encourage you to contact our firm today at (512) 400-3278 and learn your rights.
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