It doesn’t matter where you are; many car accidents are caused by people, like drivers or pedestrians, rather than just bad road conditions.
A scary number of people lose their lives after a highway crash. There are many reasons why accidents happen on highways. This article talks about these causes as well as some useful tips to prevent them.
1. Driving Under the Influence/Drugs
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious issue that happens far too often. When someone drinks alcohol or uses drugs and gets behind the wheel, their ability to drive safely is greatly reduced.
When faced with situations they would have been able to avoid had they been sober, they might make the wrong decisions and find themselves as the at-fault party in an accident.
2. Overspeeding
Another common cause of car accidents has been attributed to exceeding speed limits.
Driving past the speed limit poses serious risks. Excess speed greatly reduces reaction times. This means that a speeding driver will not be able to react to sudden elements on the road, leading to accidents.
Accidents caused due to speeding also tend to be fatal. The speed of the vehicle has a massive influence on the force generated during the accident. This greatly increases the severity of the accidents.
3. Vehicle Defects
It’s not far-fetched that some road users fail to examine the condition of their vehicles before hitting the road. A vehicle could, for instance, be devoid of brake oil and, when in transit, could lose the ability to stop safely and claim innocent lives.
4. Distractions
Distractions while driving have emerged as a leading contributory factor to car accidents on the highway. Distractions can take several forms, such as
- Being engaged in a phone conversation
- Texting someone
- Focusing too much on the GPS
- Grooming
5. Night/Late Driving
Those who drive at night won’t have a clear vision of their surroundings and therefore may hit another vehicle. The chances of accidents while driving at night go up considerably if the driver is drowsy or if the vehicle has malfunctioning headlights.
6. Road Conditions/Failure to Maintain Roads
Of course, the government’s failure to fix damaged roads has become a risk factor in road accidents on the highway.
7. Bad Weather
Poor weather conditions, such as fog, have also been attributed to causing car crashes on the highway.
8. Improper Turns
Most car owners don’t scan the different directions before heading their vehicle towards a particular angle. This increases the chances of a vehicle crashing into another vehicle or a pedestrian.
How to Prevent Accidents on Highways
Here are a few tips that can help reduce the possibility of accidents happening on the highway.
A) Maintain a Safe Distance
It’s advised that road users should maintain a space, specifically a maximum of a car length between vehicles. This gives room for vehicles to react to sudden situations.
B) Put on your Seatbelts
Fastening your seatbelts shouldn’t be a novel safety measure for you. Putting on your seatbelts prevents your head from crashing into the dashboard in the event of a road hazard.
C) Be Courteous to Other Vehicles
There’s an old cliche that reads, “Drive for others to drive for yourself.” You should strive to drive carefully and courteously.
Other solutions to car accidents on the highway would include:
- Limiting night driving
- Maintaining your lane
- Eliminating distractions
- Taking adequate rest
- Regular vehicle maintenance
Final Thoughts
As you can notice, there is a chunk of factors that lead to accidents on highways, with a majority of them being attributed to the drivers themselves.
However, the article has also offered solutions for mitigating the increase in road accidents on expressways.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t forget to get in touch with an experienced accident attorney to find out what your options are.
