In many cases, car accidents are preventable with a bit of knowledge and caution. If you are aware of some common causes of car accidents, you will know what risk factors to avoid, increasing your chances of avoiding a collision. Polito & Associates have assisted their fair share of people following car accidents, giving a good idea of some of the more common causes of these collisions. Keep the following causes in mind and you will be on your way to minimizing your chances of an accident.
Distracted Driving
Most people have thought about distracted driving as a cause of car accidents, but you likely have not stopped to consider every single situation that can lead to distraction. Texting or using your phone is an obvious example, but other things like putting on makeup, eating, brushing hair, and even talking can lead to distractions behind the wheel. Something as simple as reaching for an item in the glove compartment while driving also fits in this category, as does turning around to check on your kids or pets in the back seat.
Impaired Driving
As with distracted driving, there are some elements of impaired driving that you likely expect but some you do not. Most people know that driving while drunk or under the influence of illegal drugs increases the chances of an accident due to worsened reaction times. But you probably have not thought about how driving while extremely tired can put you at risk. Or how driving while taking certain medications that impair your reactions could affect you. Any type of impaired driving, no matter the reason for the impairment, is a common cause of car accidents.
Driving in the Rain
Since we drive every day of the year, people do not always take the time to think about how certain weather conditions can increase the risk of collisions. Things like ice on the road or heavy blizzards seem to be a given in terms of increasing the risk, but you may not realize how dangerous driving in the rain can be. The roads become incredibly slippery and visibility drops significantly, both of which make it harder to stop in time for an obstacle. Avoid this by taking extra care if you have to drive in the rain.
Issues with the Vehicle
In the experience of Polito & Associates, most people associated car accidents with either the situation or poor driving. In reality, issues with the vehicle itself can also be a significant problem. Not having enough tread on your tires, for example, will increase your stopping distance, putting you at risk of a rear-end collision. Or problems with alignment can lead to your vehicle moving in ways you do not anticipate, causing you to swipe an obstacle.
Animals in the Way
Another common cause of car accidents you likely haven’t thought about is animals getting in the way. While most people know to stay out of the road, animals have not quite figured this out. They also tend to behave more unpredictably than humans, taking drivers by surprise. Some accidents involve hitting animals on the road while others are the result of trying to avoid doing just that.
