Car accidents are a reality none of us want to face, but unfortunately, they happen more often than we’d like to admit. Have you ever thought about what causes most of these accidents? Understanding the common reasons behind car accident claims can help you become a more cautious driver and potentially avoid situations that lead to expensive claims and frustrating legal processes.
1. Distracted Driving: The Silent Danger
Distracted driving is more than just texting. It can be anything that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off driving. Eating, fiddling with the radio, or even chatting with passengers can all count as distractions.
But what makes distracted driving so dangerous? It reduces your reaction time. Just a split second of distraction could be enough to miss the car in front suddenly braking or a pedestrian stepping onto the road. Accidents caused by distracted driving often lead to claims because they tend to result in collisions, sometimes serious, and it’s almost always the distracted driver who’s at fault. If this has happened to you, a reputable car accidents lawyer Perth will be able to help.
How can you avoid it? Make sure your phone is out of reach, set your music or GPS before you start driving, and try to keep conversations to a minimum, especially in tricky driving conditions.
2. Speeding: More Than Just a Ticket
We’ve all been there — running late and pushing the speedometer a bit higher than we should. Speeding is one of the most common causes of accidents, and it can be deadly. Driving above the speed limit reduces your ability to react to obstacles or sudden changes in traffic, making collisions much more likely.
Even if the speeding isn’t extreme, it’s often enough to cause an accident. When a car is moving faster, the force of any impact is greater, leading to more severe damage and injury. Claims from speeding accidents often involve high repair costs, medical bills, and sometimes even legal battles over who was at fault.
3. Tailgating: Too Close for Comfort
Ever found yourself stuck behind a slow driver and decided to get a little closer than usual? Tailgating is not only annoying but also extremely dangerous. Following too closely limits your ability to stop in time if the car in front of you brakes suddenly.
When an accident happens because of tailgating, it’s almost always the driver at the back who’s held responsible. Why? Because maintaining a safe distance is key to avoiding collisions. Tailgating can lead to rear-end collisions, which are one of the most frequent types of accidents and the most common claims for vehicle damage.
4. Weather Conditions: The Unpredictable Factor
Rain, fog, and even sun glare can turn a simple drive into a hazardous journey. Poor weather conditions make roads slippery, reduce visibility, and make it harder to control your vehicle.
Accidents caused by weather often lead to claims not just because of the initial collision but due to the chain reactions they can cause. Picture a car skidding on wet roads and causing a pile-up — claims from multiple drivers will flood in, with damage and liability spread across several parties. Staying cautious in bad weather is essential to avoiding such claims.
How to be safer in bad weather? Drive slower than usual, leave more space between you and other cars, and use your headlights properly to ensure visibility.
5. Running Red Lights: Ignoring the Rules
It happens more often than we’d like to think – a driver, rushing through an intersection, decides to run a red light. This risky move frequently results in collisions, especially with vehicles coming from the other direction.
Claims from accidents caused by running red lights are often severe because the crashes tend to happen at higher speeds and involve side impacts. These types of collisions can lead to serious injuries, not just vehicle damage. This is a major reason why running red lights contributes heavily to accident claims.
6. Drunk Driving: A Preventable Tragedy
Even though awareness campaigns are everywhere, drink-driving remains a leading cause of accidents and claims. Driving under the influence impairs your reaction time, judgment, and motor skills, making it difficult to safely operate a vehicle.
Accidents caused by drunk driving almost always result in hefty claims — not only for damages but also for medical expenses and legal costs. In many cases, these accidents lead to severe injury or even fatalities. The financial and emotional toll of drink-driving accidents is enormous, and the legal implications can drag on for years.
7. Fatigue: Driving While Exhausted
Driving while tired might seem harmless compared to the other reasons on this list, but it’s a growing concern. Fatigue can impair your reaction time just as much as alcohol. When you’re exhausted, you’re less aware of your surroundings, slower to react, and more likely to make mistakes.
Fatigue-related accidents are often severe because they tend to involve a lack of reaction entirely — a driver might drift into another lane or off the road without even realising it. Claims from these accidents typically involve not just vehicle damage but significant injuries.
What can you do? If you’re feeling tired, it’s always better to pull over and rest than to push through and risk causing an accident. Simple as that.
Stay Safe and Reduce Your Risk
Car accident claims often come with a heap of stress, expenses, and legal headaches. But many of the common causes can be avoided with a little more care and awareness on the road. Whether it’s something as simple as keeping your phone away while driving or slowing down in bad weather, taking these precautions can save you a lot of trouble down the track.
