Motor vehicle accidents are some of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. In the United States alone, it has been found that over 37,000 meet their ends through road crashes, while around 2.3 million are left injured or disabled by these tragedies. Accidents occur because of following incidences. Knowing what they are can help you keep safe on the road.
Causes of Accidents
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Distracted Driving
Drivers who don’t pay attention to the road are the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in the country. Doing things like talking on the phone, eating, or even applying makeup divide’s one attention, resulting in drivers not noticing what’s happening on the road. In some instances, driving while distracted can lead to slower reaction times, too. In 2017, distracted drivers claimed over 3,000 lives.
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Speeding
Speed limits indicate how fast a person can drive through in an area. The values are determined by state officials and vary depending on the location. For example, heavily populated areas usually have lower speed limits compared to highways. These limits promote safety in the streets, but many drivers take them as mere suggestions. As a result, almost 10,000 deaths have been recorded in 2017 because of speeding.
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Impaired Driving
Driving while under the influence of either alcohol or drugs is a decision that not only affects the driver, but the people around them as well. It heightens the risk of the person getting into an accident since substances like alcoholic drinks reduce a person’s brain functions. This means less coherent thoughts and muscle coordination. In 2016, the deaths that this kind of reckless driving has caused have amounted to around 10500.
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Weather
An external factor that no one can help is the weather. Rain, snow, and hail can do things to the roads, which result in accidents or at worst, death. Rainfall, for example, makes the pavements wet and slippery in some locations. On the other hand, the temperature plummeting often leads to frozen concrete, which regular tires can slip on as well. About 5,000 people on average lose their lives over weather-related accidents each year, while over 400,000 are left injured.
Preventing Accidents
No one can prevent accidents from happening because they usually come out of nowhere. However, everyone can better prepare themselves while preventing accidents at the same time:
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Research
The aftermath of an accident has many components, and one of which is an injury. Treatment is on one side while compensation is the other. It may seem unlikely, but it’s in every Denver-resident’s best interest to look up the services of attorneys specializing in injuries incurred from car or motorcycle accidents.
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Drive Carefully
The actions of other people cannot be helped, but drivers can lessen the personal risk of getting into an accident by taking more care while on the road. This means following the simple rules of driving like focusing on the road and not using the phone, stopping when required by a red light or sign, and adhering to the speed limits of their given location.
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Prepare the Vehicle
Having the foresight to be prepared for any scenario does more good than harm. A good example would be to prepare the vehicle for the colder seasons. Driver’s should look into snow-tires if they reside in a location known for heavy snowfall. Regular car or motorcycle maintenance also helps prep vehicles for the future.
Road accidents are among the leading causes of mortality in the country and around the world. While some of them are unavoidable, you can prepare yourself in case they do happen.
