According to highway safety officials, 401,537 car crashes in Florida caused 252,973 injuries and 3,737 fatalities in 2021. These figures suggest that car accidents are still happening despite new advances in auto technology.
Whether severe or minor, an accident can change your life in drastic ways. It can result in permanent disabilities, pain and suffering, or even loss of wages. The injuries also cause significant economic losses to victims, their families, and the Sunshine State.
Investigating the causes of car accidents can help determine the party at fault for them. It also helps meet certain legal requirements, examine the damage costs, and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Common car accident causes include the following:
Excessive Speeding
A significant increase in speed increases the risk of a car accident and the severity of injuries. Even more, a vehicle driving at a higher speed is more prone to a crash than one driving slower. It is because the vehicle will need to travel a longer distance to halt when operating at high speed.
Excessive speeding is a leading factor in most road accident fatalities. It causes a massive impact on the crash, affecting the degree of injuries and damage caused by an accident.
Distracted Driving
The CDC reports that there are about nine deaths every day in crashes that involve distracted driving. As the fatalities increase, distracted driving proves to be among the leading causes of auto accidents.
Anything that draws your attention away from driving is considered a distraction. It may include taking on the phone, eating while driving, or sending a text message. You risk endangering yourself, your passengers, and other road users if you engage in these activities.
Distracted driving can also be categorized as visual, manual, or cognitive. Visual distractions can take your eyes off the road, while manual ones limit your ability to control the vehicle’s wheel. Consequently, cognitive distractions take your concentration (mind) off driving.
You may be distracted by animals crossing the road or billboards or banners by the roadside. The radio or stereo system playing in your vehicle can also be a source of distraction. Either way, finding a way to stay focused on driving despite these distractions may improve your safety.
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving causes one death every 50 minutes (about 10,000 lives a year), as the U.S. Department of Transportation reports. Though measures against drunk driving are in place, drunk driving incidents are rising.
Getting behind the wheel while drunk may increase the likelihood of a car accident. It is because alcohol impairs brain function. Even more, since alcohol is a depressant, it impairs muscle coordination, reasoning, and thinking.
Operating a vehicle with impaired mental and physical faculties is a safety issue. One is likely to make a mistake that one wouldn’t make when they are sober. These mistakes include ignoring traffic signs, excessive speeding, or ignoring pedestrian crossing spots.
Also, alcohol reduces the reaction time of the body. In this case, the limbs will take longer to react to any instructions sent by the brain. Vision may also be impaired as a result of dizziness, and one may be incited to take serious risks.
Disregarding Traffic Signals
Traffic signals such as stop signs and lights ease the traffic flow on highways and roads. As a driver, it is a mandate to obey these signals to avoid facing legal troubles or getting involved in an accident.
It’s unfortunate that some drivers ignore traffic signals because they are in a hurry, inattentive, reckless, or impatient. As a result, such negligent behavior causes crashes.
Traffic authorities caution drivers against red light jumping. You are supposed to stop at a red signal to improve your automobile safety. Crossing at intersections while ignoring the red light signal may cause a fatal car crash.
Road Hazards
A car accident may arise due to road hazards such as uneven expansion joints, animals, bumpy edges, and standing water. An ill-maintained road may also increase the risk of a crash. In such a scenario, you may sue the entity responsible for maintaining or constructing the road.
Road hazards are brought by the failure of an entity or individual to carry out their duties as expected. For instance, the entity may fail to post a warning sign in a construction zone or seal potholes that pose significant road safety risks.
Most auto accidents that involve road hazards revolve around negligence. In this case, the liable entities will vary with the hazard.
Negligent parties may include private businesses such as construction firms or landscapers. They may also include public entities such as the state, the city, or the federal government.
Auto Defects
An automotive parts manufacturer or automobile manufacturer may be blamed for the cause of an accident. This could be the case if the auto parts or vehicle was recalled by the NHTSA for failing to meet vehicle safety standards and regulations.
Examples of NHTSA-recalled defects include airbags that fail to deploy at the right time and accelerators that break or stick. Other car issues include electrical system problems, wheels that break, and leaking fuel systems.
Vehicles with defective components may malfunction, thus increasing the risk of a crash.
Bad Weather
Florida boasts warm temperatures and sunshine all year. But it also experiences extreme weather conditions. In particular, afternoon thunderstorms are common, which may make roads slippery and cause visibility problems for drivers.
The Sunshine State is also prone to lots of lightning strikes, waterspouts, tornadoes, and hurricanes. While some of these weather conditions are less frequent, they cause significant fatalities to motorists when they occur.
Now You Know the Causes of Car Accidents in Florida
Car crashes cause injuries, fatalities, and great economic losses yearly. It is why knowing the exact causes of car accidents in Florida is a crucial step in filing a liability claim.
Newsome Melton Law Firm is here to help you hold manufacturers and other liable parties accountable for injuries or fatalities caused by defective or dangerous products. You can count on an auto accident lawyer from the firm for complex injury and product liability litigation.
Schedule a consultative meeting for your car accident liability case today.