Almost daily that you drive to and from work, you may witness a fender-bender on the side of the road or nearly get hit yourself. You ask yourself, why does this happen way too often?
The reason accidents happen so frequently is because some behaviors and circumstances occur way too often. Below are some of the most common ways an auto accident in Utah could happen:
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention off the road. The most common distraction is your phone, whether that may be texting or doing anything else with it behind the wheel. When you take your eyes off the road for a few seconds, you can travel the length of a football field or more without seeing where you’re going. Other forms of distracted driving include reading, putting on makeup, talking to other passengers, and eating.
Speeding
We all know that we’re supposed to follow the speed limit, but nearly all of us have gone too fast at some point. Some of us are in a hurry, and most of us are running late. However, speeding doesn’t get you there any faster and can cause a devastating accident. There’s a severe difference between slamming into another car at 25 miles an hour and 45 miles an hour.
Reckless Driving
Have you ever watched someone weave in and out of traffic and thought, “They are going to crash into somebody!” Reckless drivers make everyone else hold their steering wheel a lot tighter. These drivers dart from lane to lane, drive aggressively, cutting off other vehicles in traffic, and are often tailgating. They appear to be in a rush to get wherever they’re going, not comprehending that they are an accident just waiting to happen.
Tailgating
When you tailgate, you don’t give yourself time to slow down or stop. When someone behind you tailgates, all you can imagine is the accident you’re about to be in if you ever have to slam on your brakes.
Not Stopping
It may be a red light or a stop sign, but we’ve all seen the person who blazes right through the intersection without even attempting to slow down. It may even have happened to you a few times if you aren’t paying attention or thought you could make it through in time. This causes devastating accidents, making it an excellent reason not to immediately take off from a green light; you never know who won’t stop.
Drugs and Alcohol
Driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) are things we’ve heard about for years, with more organizations trying to raise more awareness of it every day. You may think that it’s not a problem anymore. However, many people still think it’s a great idea to get behind the wheel after drinking, taking drugs, or even taking prescription medications that make it hard for them to drive.
Bad Weather
You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you drive in it. Rain, ice, snow, and fog all mean one thing, slow down and drive carefully! The posted speed limit is intended for ideal weather conditions. The moment the weather hinders you in any way, slow down to avoid being in an auto accident.
Road Rage
Road rage can lead to aggressive driving, reckless driving, tailgating, and purposely trying to cause an accident.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You
When you’ve been the victim of a vehicle accident for any of these reasons, the other driver is at fault, and their insurance should pay your medical bills, fix or replace your vehicle. Unfortunately, this isn’t what typically happens. A personal injury attorney will work with you and on your behalf to negotiate with the insurance company or take your case to court to get you the compensation you deserve.
