Some car crashes are truly flukes. They occur due to unpredictable and uncontrollable circumstances. A large animal steps onto the road, forcing a driver to either strike it or swerve aggressively to avoid a crash. Components in vehicles may fail unexpectedly due to defective design or substandard vehicle maintenance work. Drivers cannot control the conduct of manufacturers, the professionals they hire to work on their vehicles, other motorists or wildlife.
However, they can control their own conduct. Drivers often make mistakes that increase their chances of causing a wreck. A large percentage of collisions occur because of the poor choices that motorists make. Speeding, running red lights and driving while intoxicated are all examples of clearly unsafe behaviors that violate the law and increase crash risk.
Distracted driving has also become a serious safety concern that causes tens of thousands of collisions every year. Drivers who don’t keep their focus on the road can cause wrecks because of their distraction.
Distraction is a pervasive issue
According to federal collision data, distracted drivers are responsible for an alarming number of injuries and deaths every year. Researchers estimate that more than 3,100 preventable annual traffic deaths occur because of mobile device distraction in particular. Roughly 424,000 people sustain injuries annually due to distracted drivers.
People talking on their phones, reading text messages or composing emails cause crashes because they split their attention between the road and their devices. Any attempt to multitask, regardless of whether it involves a digital device or not, can increase crash risk.
Researchers may have underestimated the true impact of distracted driving, as not all forms of distraction are easily detectable and verifiable. Many people cause crashes because they eat or drink while driving. Talking to passengers, reaching for items in the car and even daydreaming are also potentially dangerous sources of distraction.
Distracted drivers are typically liable for the collisions that they cause with their unsafe behavior. Filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit can often help those harmed by distracted drivers demand legal and financial responsibility from the right party. Those involved in distracted driving collisions may need help reviewing their options and taking the appropriate steps to seek compensation after a collision.