Many things can cause road accidents: distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding and offset vehicles are some instant examples. Here are 10 facts that you may not know about traffic accidents.
1. Men have a higher risk of car accidents
Research shows the worldwide, car accidents occur with male drivers more often than women due to their inclination to speed, drink and take risks on the road. Traffic accidents are one of the largest killer of men in America with the most dangerous drivers being young men.
2. The likelihood of accidents happen at midnight and afterwards.
Less cars in the wee hours of the morning right? That means it should be easier to drive and wouldn’t hurt to speed. That thought process is wrong. The likelihood of you getting into a road accident or a one-person car crash is four times likely from midnight onwards due to fatigue, impairment and loss of vision on the road.
3. Sticking too close to cars are top cause of accidents
One of the biggest reasons for traffic accidents are cars following too closely to each other. It accounts for many of the accidents on the road with a reason being drivers not having enough time to stop or brake in the midst of a stopping car.
4. Weather isn’t the biggest factor of accidents. Impair driving is.
There is a notion that weather is usually what causes most accidents. The truth is, it isn’t. It’s impair driving such as driving under the influence and wrong decisions such as speed that results in accidents. If in any case an accident occurs due to impair driving, make sure you get yourself a lawyer to help with your case. Drunk driving lawyers work in this area and can assist.
5. Most common accidents happen in the parking lot.
Accidents happen anywhere but due to the number of cars and confined space in the parking lot, that’s where a lot of accidents happen. Most accidents occur because of general confusion, wrong decisions and not yielding to other cars.
6. Traffic accident is not always a two people situation.
Lots of time when accidents come to mind, it involves two drivers. However, many occur actually as single car accidents. Tiredness and too many hours on the road is the lead cause of single collisions.
7. Majority of accidents occur with distracted driving
It takes 5 seconds to take your eyes off the road while texting. Let’s say you drive around 50mph, that’s enough time to cover a football field and plenty of time to cause an accident
8. Teenage drives are four times more likely to cause an accident
Due to inexperience and age, teenage drivers (usually between the age of 16 to 20) are more likely to have accidents incur.
9. Traffic accidents can happen when you’re driving too slow.
Counter to popular opinion, accidents als happen when you’re driving too slow. Lots of times, people think speeding is the only factor but driving too slow also leads to accidents.
10. 1 in 3 accidents happen a mile from home.
Believe it or not but more accidents happen a mile from home. Hitting parked cars, crashing into a pole, or reversing into a vehicle are all common reasons for traffic accidents.
Traffic accidents can occur anywhere at anytime, sometimes in the most unlikely ways. So next time you go out on the road, be careful and make sure you drive with caution.