There are thousands of injuries and fatalities caused by road traffic accidents every year. Although some accidents are unavoidable, most are easily prevented with safe driving practices.
Some of the most common causes of road traffic incidents are simple things like distractions, fatigue, sleep deprivation and driving above the speed limit. Each of these things might seem minor but they can make the difference between life and death in some cases.
If you find yourself in an accident, whether it’s a minor bump or a serious collision, you should contact a Utah car accident attorney. Car accident lawyers are trained to assess road traffic incidents and create cases to win compensation for their client’s injuries or financial losses.
Here are some of the top causes of road traffic collisions across the world.
1. Distractions
Being distracted while driving significantly increases the risk of road traffic accidents.
There are so many distractions nowadays and it’s easy to forget how quickly accidents can occur during a minor lapse in concentration. All it takes is for a driver to glance down at their phone or fiddle with their radio buttons for a split second for something to happen.
Failing to stay hyper-vigilant on the roads is a major cause of road traffic incidents. When a driver is distracted, they’re less likely to swerve out of the way of other vehicles or slam the brakes for an emergency stop if someone runs out in front of the car.
2. Fatigue
Driving while you’re tired can cause you to lose concentration or become drowsy behind the wheel. It can even lead to you having micro sleeps where you fall asleep temporarily.
When your eyes shut for a second or two, you are unable to respond to potential hazards on the roads. Your reaction times are also much slower, further increasing your risk of colliding with another driver or a pedestrian.
If you begin to feel sleepy while you’re driving, pull over to the side of the road and take a quick rest before returning to the roads and completing your journey. Alternatively, if you’re driving with somebody who is also insured on the vehicle, ask them to take over while you take a break.
When you’re set to go on a long car journey, make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before. Plan out a few areas along your journey where you can stop for a few minutes and stretch your legs. This will prevent you from getting fatigued when driving for several hours.
3. Driving Through Red Lights
Many drivers take the risk of running a red light to save a few minutes on their journey. While going through a red light doesn’t always result in a road traffic collision, it significantly increases the risk of accidents occurring.
If you are coming up to a set of traffic lights, you should always be prepared to brake and roll to a stop in case the lights change. When the lights turn to amber, you must begin to apply the brakes so that you can stop in time for the lights to turn red.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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