The Most Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents can occur at any time and can be caused by many different factors. If you were involved in a car accident, understanding what caused your accident is essential. This helps determine who should be held liable for the accident to receive maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.
Every car accident differs, requiring a unique strategy to find the cause. If you have been involved in a car accident, speaking with a seasoned car accident lawyer is in your best interest. The lawyer can assist in investigating the accident to establish liability. Let’s look at the most common causes of car accidents.
Driving Over the Speed Limit
Speed limits are there not to restrict drivers from testing their machines but to prevent road accidents. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to react quickly around another vehicle or hazardous object and extends the stopping time. This increases the risk of car crashes with other vehicles or pedestrians.
Speeding is a significant reason for severe car accidents in the United States. According to the NHTSA, speeding drivers contributed to 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2021, resulting in more than 12,000 people losing their lives.
Distracted Driving
Another common reason for car accidents is distracted driving. Distracted driving occurs when the driver’s attention is removed from actual driving. This may include using a cellphone or GPS to navigate, fixing one’s hair, or eating while driving, among other reasons. When a driver is distracted, this significantly reduces their reaction time in an emergency leading to catastrophic accidents that would have otherwise been avoided.
Despite state laws (including New Mexico and Texas) prohibiting cell phone usage for all drivers, car accidents caused by such distracted driving still happen. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that more than 850,000 drivers in the U.S. are texting or using cell phones at any given time of the day.
If you were in a car accident involving a distracted driver, the law allows you to pursue compensation for their negligent actions.
Impaired Driving
Driving while impaired or drunk is a recipe for disaster on the road. Drugs and alcohol impair one’s motor skills, reducing their ability to react appropriately when something unexpected occurs. Drunk drivers may also exceed the speed limit, not knowing how fast they are going, which can cause car accidents. If you have been involved in an impaired driving car accident, an experienced car accident attorney can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Reckless and Aggressive Driving
Reckless and aggressive driving is another common cause of car accidents. When you tailgate or switch lanes too fast without paying attention to other vehicles, you may end up in a preventable accident. Similarly, when you block cars attempting to pass or drive aggressively, you are putting yourself and other road users in danger.
Fatigue
Fatigue is another common reason for many car crashes. When a driver does not get enough sleep during the night and gets behind the wheel, they may fail to see other motorists and pedestrians on the road. They may even fall asleep and end up hitting oncoming traffic, leading to severe injuries and damages.
Driving while fatigued has actually been compared to drunk driving. This is because drivers often have slow reaction times, impaired judgment, and poor coordination. Law enforcement officers often stop drivers suspecting they are drunk, only to learn they were just too fatigued to drive safely.
Vehicle Defects and Poor Maintenance
When a vehicle has defective parts or is poorly maintained, this can cause significant accidents on the road. It is always advisable to keep up with vehicle recalls and service your car often to avoid accidents.
Poor Road and Weather Conditions
Sometimes, car accidents can happen for reasons beyond the driver’s control. Road conditions such as potholes, debris, road surface changes, or raised obstructions can make accidents happen out of the blue, even for a careful driver. Additionally, when weather conditions make roads slippery, vehicles may lose traction and slide off the road or into other motorists. Keeping off the road in extreme weather conditions like fog, high wind speed, or snow is always best.
How Driver Age and Experience Impact Accident Causes
Driver demographics play a significant role in understanding why car accidents occur. Young drivers between 16 and 24 face higher accident rates due to inexperience recognizing road hazards and overestimating their driving abilities. Conversely, senior drivers may experience slower reaction times and difficulty with night vision that contribute to collisions. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, understanding age-related risk factors helps identify patterns in how and why accidents happen across different driver populations.
Male drivers statistically engage in riskier behaviors like aggressive lane changes and following too closely, while certain demographics show higher rates of safety belt usage. These behavioral patterns influence not only accident frequency but also injury severity. Attorneys handling teen driver accidents and senior driver collisions recognize how age-specific factors affect liability determinations and compensation claims.
Intersection Accidents and Right-of-Way Violations
Intersections represent some of the most dangerous locations on roadways, accounting for a substantial percentage of urban car accidents. Drivers who fail to yield right-of-way, run red lights after they’ve changed, or misjudge gaps in traffic when turning left create preventable collisions. Unlike straightforward rear-end accidents, intersection crashes often involve disputed liability with each driver claiming the other violated traffic laws.
Traffic signal timing, intersection design, and visibility obstructions all contribute to these accidents. The Federal Highway Administration provides data showing how intersection improvements reduce collision rates. When investigating these accidents, lawyers examine signal timing records, road design specifications, and witness accounts to establish which driver violated right-of-way rules and bears responsibility for resulting injuries.
Medical Emergencies and Sudden Incapacitation Behind the Wheel
Not all car accidents result from negligence or reckless behavior. Medical emergencies like heart attacks, strokes, seizures, or diabetic episodes can cause drivers to suddenly lose control without warning. These situations create complex liability questions. Was the driver aware of their medical condition? Should they have reasonably known they posed a danger while driving? Did they follow medical advice about driving restrictions?
Texas law recognizes “sudden medical emergency” as a potential defense in accident cases, though insurance companies sometimes exploit this defense unfairly. If you were injured by a driver who claims medical incapacitation, attorneys experienced in catastrophic injury cases can investigate medical records and expert testimony to determine whether the emergency was truly unforeseeable. Proper investigation often reveals that drivers ignored symptoms or medical warnings, establishing negligence despite the emergency defense.
Construction Zone Hazards and Temporary Traffic Patterns
Construction zones create unique accident risks through lane shifts, reduced speed limits, narrowed roadways, and the presence of workers and equipment near traffic. Drivers who fail to reduce speed appropriately or who become distracted by construction activity cause serious accidents in these areas. Additionally, inadequate signage, poor traffic control, or dangerous work zone design may make construction companies or government entities liable alongside negligent drivers.
Have You Been Involved in a Car Accident in AZ, NM, or TX?
If you have been involved in a car accident in Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas, you should seek legal help immediately. An experienced car accident attorney can help you determine the cause of the accident and identify the parties to hold accountable. Contact the qualified team of attorneys at the Ruhmann Law firm today at 915-910-5600 or fill out the confidential contact form.