According to highway safety officials, there will be 401,537 crashes in Florida in 2021, resulting in 252,973 injuries and 3,737 deaths. These figures show that despite new advances in vehicle technology, crashes are still happening.
Whether serious or minor, an accident can change your life in dramatic ways. It can lead to permanent disability, pain and suffering, and even lost wages. The injuries also cause significant economic loss to the victims, their families and the Sunshine State.
Investigating the cause of a car accident can help determine who is at fault for them. It also helps to meet certain legal requirements, check damage costs and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Common causes of car accidents include the following:
excessive speeding
Significant increases in speed can increase the risk of crashes and the severity of injuries. What’s more, vehicles traveling at higher speeds are more likely to crash than vehicles traveling at slower speeds. This is because the vehicle needs to travel a longer distance to come to a stop when traveling at high speeds.
Speeding is the leading cause of most road traffic fatalities. It has a huge impact on collisions, affecting the level of injury and damage caused by accidents.
distracted driving
The CDC reports that approximately nine people die every day in car crashes caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving is proving to be one of the leading causes of crashes as the death toll rises.
Anything that takes your attention away from driving is considered a distraction. It might include answering the phone, eating while driving, or texting. You may endanger yourself, your passengers and other road users if you engage in these activities.
Distracted driving can also be classified as visual, manual or cognitive driving. Visual distractions take your eyes off the road, while manual distractions limit your ability to control the wheel. So cognitive distractions distract your attention (thoughts) from driving.
Animals crossing the road or billboards or banners on the side of the road may distract you. A radio or stereo playing in your car can also be distracting. Either way, finding a way to stay focused on driving despite these distractions may improve your safety.
Drive after drunk
According to the US Department of Transportation, drunk driving kills one person every 50 minutes (approximately 10,000 deaths per year). Even though measures are in place to drink and drive, incidents of drunk driving are still on the rise.
Drunk driving may increase the likelihood of a car accident. This is because alcohol impairs brain function. What’s more, since alcohol is a depressant, it impairs muscle coordination, reasoning, and thinking.
Driving a vehicle with impaired physical and mental capabilities is a safety issue. A person is likely to make mistakes that a person would not make while sober. These errors include ignoring traffic signs, speeding or ignoring pedestrian crossings.
In addition, alcohol reduces the body’s reaction time. In this case, the limbs will take longer to respond to any commands sent by the brain. Vision may also be impaired by dizziness, and one may be incited to take risks.
ignore traffic signals
Traffic signals such as stop signs and lights ease the flow of traffic on highways and roads. As a driver, you must obey these signals to avoid facing legal trouble or being involved in an accident.
Unfortunately, some drivers ignore traffic lights because they are in a hurry, careless, reckless or impatient. As a result, this negligent behavior led to a crash.
The traffic department warned drivers not to run red lights. You should stop at red lights to increase your car safety. Ignoring a red light signal to cross the road at an intersection can result in a fatal crash.
road hazard
Road hazards such as uneven expansion joints, animals, bumpy edges, standing water, etc. can cause a crash. Poorly maintained roads can also increase the risk of a crash. In this case, you can sue the entity responsible for maintaining or building the road.
Road safety hazards are caused by units or individuals not performing their duties as expected. For example, the entity may fail to post warning signs in construction zones or seal potholes that pose a significant road safety risk.
Most car accidents involving road hazards involve negligence. In this case, the subject of responsibility will vary from hazard to hazard.
Negligent parties may include private businesses such as construction companies or landscapers. They may also include public entities such as state, municipal or federal governments.
car defect
The cause of the accident could be attributed to the auto parts manufacturer or the automaker. This can happen if an auto part or vehicle is recalled by NHTSA for not meeting vehicle safety standards and regulations.
Examples of defects being recalled by NHTSA include air bags that fail to deploy at the correct time and accelerators that rupture or jam. Other car problems include electrical system problems, broken wheels and fuel system leaks.
Vehicles with defective components can break down, increasing the risk of a crash.
bad weather
Florida has a warm, sunny climate year-round. But it also experiences extreme weather conditions. Thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon, are common, which can make roads slippery and cause visibility problems for drivers.
The Sunshine State is also prone to numerous lightning strikes, waterspouts, tornadoes and hurricanes. While some of these weather conditions are less frequent, when they do occur, they can cause major fatalities for motorists.
Now You Know What Caused a Florida Car Crash
Traffic accidents cause casualties and huge economic losses every year. That’s why knowing the exact cause of a Florida car accident is a critical step in filing a liability claim.
The Newsome Melton Law Firm can help you hold manufacturers and other responsible parties liable for injury or death caused by defective or dangerous products. For complex injury and product liability litigation, you can count on one of the firm’s car accident attorneys.
Schedule a counseling session on your auto accident liability case today.
