Car accidents that lead to no significant injuries are very common, and car accident injuries are much more common than car accident deaths. So what is it that causes some car accidents to be fatal while others cause no harm at all?
It can be hard to pinpoint just where things go wrong in a crash. Most drivers are doing something they’ve done countless times before when an accident occurs. Even highly dangerous behaviors, like drunk driving, might end with no harm done dozens of times before tragedy strikes.
Human Error Is (Almost) Always To Blame
An accident that’s truly no one’s fault is extremely rare. An attentive and reasonably skilled driver in a properly maintained vehicle is not likely to cause a crash. Quite rightly, most efforts to reduce serious car accidents focus on getting people to conduct themselves correctly or implementing technology to save them when they don’t.
The Most Common Problems
Speeding
Any list of issues that lead to motor vehicle accidents should start with speeding. Speed is a killer. According to the World Health Organization, increasing mean speed by 1 percent increases the risk of serious injury by 3 percent and the risk of death by 4 percent.
Speeding is also a common behavior. Half of drivers surveyed admit to having gone 15 mph over the speed limit in the past month. As a result, it’s more surprising to find traffic going the speed limit than it is to find it speeding.
Impaired Driving
Aside from speeding, drunk driving and other forms of impaired driving are tied to many serious and fatal car wrecks. Alcohol consumption and safe driving do not go hand in hand. Despite some progress, drunk driving is still tied to more than 10,000 traffic deaths a year in the U.S.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a more recent phenomenon that’s tied to many serious accidents. The rise of mobile phones is the obvious culprit. Drivers using cell phones are much more likely to get into an accident than drivers without phones. You can greatly improve your safety by keeping your phone out of sight and out of reach while driving.
No Seat Belt Use
Finally, it’s important to mention that seat belt use plays a big role in avoiding car accident fatalities. Seat belts don’t prevent accidents, but they greatly increase your odds of surviving one.
An Experienced Dallas Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
At The Fell Law Firm, we work hard to protect people who’ve been injured or who have lost loved ones in car and truck accidents. Call our Dallas offices at 972-450-1418 to schedule a consultation with a lawyer who cares.
