What Are the Most Common Causes of Collisions?

July 28, 2021 2:05 am Published by Leave your thoughts

Accidents happen. We might hope they’ll never happen to us, but millions of Americans have been involved in anything from fender benders to major collisions. When you walk away from a crash, your car will almost always need auto body repair. That can be expensive and time-consuming, leaving you without a working vehicle for days or even weeks at a time.

The best way to avoid the need for collision repair is to avoid getting into crashes in the first place. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 94 percent of all car accidents are caused by driver error. Here are some of the most common causes of crashes, so you can avoid them yourself:

  • Speeding: Speed limits exist for a reason—and no, it’s not to cramp your driving style. They’re established to allow people to drive as fast as possible while still minimizing the effects of a crash. Accidents at 35 miles per hour tend to be exponentially less devastating than those at 55 or higher. Slow down and follow the rules of the road. It’s upsetting to be late, but it’s better than being injured or worse. Try leaving an extra 15 minutes early to account for traffic and other delays.
  • DUI: Everyone knows that drunk driving has the potential to seriously injure or kill—so why do people still do it? Whether you’re not aware that you’ve had too much to drink, or you think “it’s just a couple miles,” it’s always best to opt for a designated driver. DUI accidents make up 30 percent of all fatal collisions. Let a sober friend do the driving.
  • Distracted driving: Texting, putting on makeup, eating, watching videos, fighting with others or trying to calm your screaming children—these are all forms of distracted driving. If you’re not paying attention to the road, you can miss major cues like traffic lights, signs, obstructions and pedestrians or animals darting out into the road.
  • Fatigue: Fatigued driving is almost as bad as driving drunk. Like drunk driving, it slows down your reaction times. You might even fall asleep at the wheel, especially if you’re taking medications, drink alcohol or haven’t gotten enough sleep recently. Some fatigued drivers don’t even realize they’re tired. If you’re fatigued, let someone else drive—or find an alternate method of transportation.
  • Weather conditions: Inclement weather can do a lot of damage, as anyone who has driven through the Central Valley’s tule fog will know. Whether it’s thick fog, pouring rain, snow or other difficult conditions, bad weather makes it much harder to see and react in time. It can also interfere with your car’s grip on the road, like when you hydroplane.
  • Aggressive driving: Finally, aggressive driving causes accidents. Yes, it’s frustrating to be stuck in traffic or behind a bad driver, but speeding, failing to signal, tailgating and more can cause crashes.

If you’ve been in an accident and need auto body repair, reach out to Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. today to schedule an appointment.

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