If you drive regularly, you may have noticed an increase in crashes. While you cannot predict when one occurs, you may decrease your chance of becoming a statistic.
The cause and type of crash matters when it comes to staying safe. Since most accidents happen due to driver mistakes, you maintain more control than you believe. Avoid these three common causes of crashes and keep yourself and others safer on the road.
1. Speed
Speeding remains the top cause of most car accidents. According to the data collected by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, a majority of crashes in the state occur with fixed objects such as barricades or trees. These happen either due to a driver’s inability to navigate the road due to speed or the second most common reason for accidents: distractions.
2. Distractions
Distracted driving has become a hot topic throughout the country. Distracted driving accidents have increased with the evolution of smartphones and in-car infotainment systems. Checking text messages, photos, and even a GPS route, even with quick glances, requires your eyes and attention to deviate from the road ahead. The result is a split-second event that may result in a crash.
3. Intoxication
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains one of the most common reasons drivers cause crashes. Intoxication at any level causes a slowdown of reflexes and responses to external events slow. Alcohol and drugs impair judgment allowing drivers to make risky decisions such as driving faster. Even a low amount of chemical intoxication may result in a fatal accident.
Keeping yourself safe on the road is a priority. Maintaining your speed, decreasing distractions and driving free of alcohol or drugs may help you reach your destination without incident.