What Dangers are Most Likely to Cause a Crash?

1. COMMON CAUSES OF
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
What Dangers
are Most Likely
to Cause a
Crash?

2. WHY WE CRASH
People are fallible.This doesn’t come
as a surprise to most of us, but it’s
worth repeating when discussing
vehicle accidents.That’s because
around 19 out of 20 vehicle crashes
are caused by human error.The
mistakes we make behind the wheel
are costly, not only for us but also for
others involved in crashes.
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3. COMMON - BUT PREVENTABLE
So, we all make mistakes, and those
mistakes have the potential to cause us
and those around us serious injuries.
That’s not a very rosy picture. However,
it’s vital for drivers to understand that
there’s good news attached to these
statistics.Wrecks caused by human error
are preventable. How do we prevent
them? We can start by knowing the risks
and being mindful of how susceptible we
are to them.
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4. NOTWO CRASHES ARETHE SAME
Before we look at the most common reasons
for crashes, let’s preface the discussion with
an important qualifier: no two crashes are
the same. Each crash has a different
combination of factors, including settings,
parties involved and other circumstances.
One crash can have multiple contributing
factors.
Now that we know how complicated things
can get, let’s look at some of the most
common causes of vehicle accidents.
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5. SPEEDING
More than a quarter of all crash
fatalities involved a speeding driver.
In 2016, the most recent year for
which statistics are available, over
10,000 people died in speeding-
related crashes. Speeding includes
exceeding a posted speed limit, but it
also includes traveling too fast for
conditions.
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6. DISTRACTION
On average, nine people are killed and
more than 1,000 are injured in distracted
driving crashes every day in the United
States. Distraction is rightly associated
with the use of a mobile device, but it
goes far beyond smartphones.We can
also be distracted by talking to
passengers, listening to loud music,
eating, drinking, looking in the mirror
and using car stereos.
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7. FATIGUE
Recent research suggests that
drowsy driving is far more dangerous
than experts previously believed.
Drowsiness is a factor in
approximately one out of every 10
crashes in the U.S. Missing just two
hours of sleep can double your risk of
being involved in a crash.
DO YOU HAVE A CASE? CALL: 803-454-1200

8. ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT
Drunk driving crashes cause
approximately 29 deaths every day in
the United States.These crashes cost
the U.S. $44 billion each year. Even
those alarming statistics fail to
highlight the incredible suffering
drunk driving crashes can cause in
the lives of victims and their loved
ones.
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9. RECKLESS DRIVING
Reckless driving is a broad term used
to describe many different bad
driving habits, including some
mentioned on previous pages. It also
includes running red lights, following
another vehicle too closely, changing
lanes or turning without signaling,
passing vehicles illegally and racing
other vehicles.
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10. VEHICLE DEFECTS
As we’ve mentioned, most crashes are
caused by driver error, but it’s worth
mentioning the crashes that stem from
defective vehicle parts. As recent years
have seen record-setting numbers of
safety-related vehicle recalls due to
faulty components like airbags, ignition
switches and tires, drivers must always
be on the lookout for recalls.
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11. THESE FACTORS ARE SOMETIMES
RELATED
A fatigued driver is more likely to be
distracted while driving. It’s possible for
a speeding driver to be texting. A drunk
driver might be so intoxicated that they
fail to yield when they should. In other
words, there can be more than one
contributing factor.The common thread
is that these wrecks are caused by driver
carelessness, which is more formally
known as negligence.
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12. UNDERSTANDING NEGLIGENCE
Negligence is the failure to take a
reasonable amount of care. Negligence
is a term used frequently in legal
settings, because it introduces liability –
or fault -- on behalf of a negligent party.
The concept in this context is that when
a careless driver causes another person
harm, they should be held accountable
for the damages they cause.
DO YOU HAVE A CASE? CALL: 803-454-1200

13. WHY INJURY CLAIMS ARE SO IMPORTANT
If you’ve ever been involved in a car
accident, then you know it can be
painful, traumatic and costly.When
another driver was responsible for your
injury, you deserve payment to cover the
many costs you face. If an insurance
company’s offer isn’t enough to meet
your damages, you can file a personal
injury claim to make sure you get the
compensation you are owed.
DO YOU HAVE A CASE? CALL: 803-454-1200

14. TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT BERT
LOUTHIANTODAY
If you or a loved one has been injured in
a vehicle accident in South Carolina,
contact Bert Louthian to speak with an
attorney who has a track record of
getting results for his clients. Give us a
call at 803-454-1200 or fill out our online
contact form to schedule a free
consultation.
DO YOU HAVE A CASE? CALL: 803-454-1200