4 Common Causes Of Road Accidents
Causes Of Road Accidents – A single accident can change the course of your life. Life-threatening injuries, paralysis, and even death are common consequences for a small driving mistake. With that said, road accidents are not always your fault. Even if you drive attentively, another driver’s negligence can place your life at risk. However, in this situation, you can submit a road accident claim.
Road accident claims are made when you are in an accident caused by a third party. In such situations, you can receive a settlement, in the form of a monetary reward, to compensate for the medical bills, loss of current and future income, as well as the other issues that may arise as a direct result of the accident.
Considering the serious repercussions of roadside accidents, it is essential to play your part in certifying the safety on the roads. To do this, studying the primary causes of road accidents is crucial. Once the reason is identified, preventative measures can be taken to lessen the risk of an accident.. Here are four major causes of accidents in the UK.
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is one of the most popular causes of road accidents. Due to the large number of drunk driving incidents, various efforts have been launched to raise awareness and warn drivers. Although the rate of driving in an intoxicated state has decreased over the last thirty years, drunk driving is still the prominent cause in the annual road traffic accidents, which result in death.
Essentially, driving in the intoxicated state also comes under legal restrictions. If caught, you can be banned from driving, charged a fine up to £5000, get a criminal record and be required to complete community service hours. With that said, if driving under the influence results in a fatal accident, a mandatory prison sentence would be served.
There is a legal limit to how much alcohol one can drink while driving. However, as the tolerance of every individual is different. The different factors, such as height, weight, and even gender, can have an impact on the person’s ability to lose control. Considering this, it is imperative to avoid drinking and driving altogether.
Loss of control over the vehicle
Another common reason, leading to road accidents, is losing control of the vehicle. In this case, the accidents take place when the drivers drive too fast, without slowing down to safe speed while taking a bend in the road or changing the lanes.
Additionally, the loss of vehicular control can also take place in harsh weather conditions. During harsh rain or snow, the rate of roadside accidents tends to rise. The risk of an accident further increases when the driver fails to drive carefully and slowly. When this happens, the car aquaplanes, which means the wheels lose traction on the road’s surface, thus causing the car to skid.
However, you can still regain control, after the car skids, by stopping the brakes and turning the skids. This means that you must steer the wheel in the direction that the car’s rear is facing, in order to create a balance.
With that said, it is essential to avoid putting yourself in a situation where you can lose control. As long as you follow the speed limit, and drive carefully during adverse weather conditions, you can prevent the car from losing control.
reckless or careless driving
Reckless driving is also a leading cause of accidents. When you drive in a hurry, you can make aggressive mistakes, which can result in fatal injuries. However, speeding is not the only component of reckless driving. In fact, texting while driving, driving while distracted, and tailgating also falls in the category of wreckless driving.
Taking this into consideration, it is essential to drive attentively. To avoid a roadside accident, avoid using your phone, talking to people and driving with an exhausted state of mind.
Failure to gauge the other driver’s behaviour
Inability to predict the other person’s behaviour causes one-fifth of all roadside accidents in the UK.. This can include miscalculating the gap when pulling out of a junction, or going around a populated roundabout. Most drivers tend to assume the other person’s behaviour, which often leads to a roadside accident. Therefore, in order to surpass this issue, it is essential to gauge to avoid making assumptions, and taking a cordial and careful approach while driving. In doing so, driving can become a much safer experience.
Road accidents can be avoided if every citizen plays their part in driving safely. However, you can only control your own behaviour, therefore, it is essential to partake in the aforementioned tips of accident avoidance. With that said, if you have been a victim of a roadside injury, you must hire a personal injury solicitor to receive compensation for the claim.
