Author: Dr. Bruce G. Fagel

When car accidents occur, one of the first questions people ask is how such a circumstance came to be. That’s because there is a seemingly endless list of possibilities for causes for these crashes. However, over time different entities both public and private have compiled lists for causes of these crashes, and there have been a few that have been identified as more common than others. If you or someone you love has been harmed in a crash, seek the help of a car accident attorney as soon as possible. In the meantime, below is an introduction to the leading causes of accidents.

Speeding
Speeding is something that all of us have done at any given time and for any given reason. However, speeding is against the law because it’s dangerous, as it not only reduces the margin of error that’s available to a driver to maneuver around problems, but it also increases the force that’s generated when an impact takes place. More info here

Inattentive – Distracted Driving
Drivers are prone to distractions of varying types, including the use of a cell phone, sending and reading text messages, adjusting the radio and other activities that take eyes off of the road. Inattention has always been either at or near the top of any list of causes of accidents, as all it takes is one fraction of a second for something to go terribly wrong.

Tailgating
Tailgating is the act of following a vehicle too closely. Much like speeding, this act will reduce the amount of time that a driver has to take evasive action in order to avoid a collision. Tailgating is also against the law, as it unreasonably increases the danger faced by everyone on the road.

Alcohol
Despite billions of dollars being spent by different entities around the United States over time in an attempt to bring awareness to this problem and to reduce how often it occurs, people still make the bad decision of driving after consuming alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgment and slows reaction times, and everyone should know that drinking and driving is extremely dangerous.

Aggressive Driving
We have all experienced the fear and frustration that comes with seeing a vehicle moving at a high rate of speed cut in front of or behind us and miss colliding with our vehicle by inches. Aggressive driving is not only dangerous in itself, it creates problems because it forces other motorists to deal with unexpected problems. When people are forced into these decisions, it can lead to mistakes and to collisions.

How Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
Overall, if someone causes an accident for any reason that results in injuries or fatalities, that person needs to be held accountable for the harm that resulted from these actions. If you or someone you love has suffered in this regard, seek the help of a car accident lawyer who has been fighting for the rights of the injured for 40 years. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation. Please visit this website

A Simple Distraction Can Result in Cataclysmic Consequences

Driving distracted is a significant contributor to highway collisions. One federal report even refers to distracted driving as a national epidemic.

It is easy to minimize the impairment of a vehicle operator, when they are inattentive or distracted. But the reality is that they are much slower to attend to even the simplest driving tasks. They suffer from a subtle delay in recognizing roadway data which they must respond to instantly. Driving no longer is their primary activity; it is reduced to secondary status.

Generally speaking, the drivers who cause major crashes fall into certain personality and lifestyle demographic profiles. Most of the irresponsible drivers who engage in really egregious conduct – such as running stop signs, driving drunk or recklessly, are generally out of control in all spheres of their lives.

When it comes to distracted driving, however, many of the accidents are caused by people who otherwise are very sensible. Even usually responsible people often underestimate the danger they put themselves, and others, when they drive distracted. This can involve either their eyes being diverted from the road, or it could be just the cognitive slippage which results from being lost in thought.

While texting and cell phone usage has preoccupied the media, more mundane tasks can prove deadly. Changing the radio station is a common culprit. Risky behaviors include eating or drinking, reaching for an item, brushing hair, and adjusting the GPS navigation system.

A Distracted Brain is a Lethal Weapon
Hands-free phones are thought of as safe. But new statistics are bearing out that, in fact, they also are a hazard. Dialing them can be just-distracting-enough. Voice-activation car phone systems are safer but still require multitasking.

About 6,000 driving fatalities occur each year as a result of people driving while distracted. And, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, well over 20% of vehicle collisions annually are the result of nothing more than inattention of a driver.

Drowsy Driving is Under-Reported
According to study results from the National Sleep Foundation, less than one half of Americans claim they get a good night’s sleep. And nearly a third admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel. Sleep researchers tell us that a person awake for 20 hours has an impairment equal to a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08. That’s the legal limit for unlawful driving after drinking, throughout the United States.

Public funds have allowed for the federal government’s Drowsy Driving Prevention awareness campaign (www.drowsydriving.org). It is important that the general level of national awareness on this issue becomes more elevated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has underscored that 16 percent of all drivers under age 20, who caused fatal collisions, were the result of being drowsy.

Preventing Tragedies Caused by Cell Phone Distraction
At the Distracted Driving Summit meeting in Washington recently, remedies were proposed to halt this social problem. The emphasis was on using new technologies to combat the hazards caused by communication technologies themselves. It is clear that people are not able to resist using their cell phones when they are driving. Ways to prevent cell phone use in moving vehicles are being developed in laboratories. When they are perfected, there may be shifts in the law to encourage their use.

Certainly the voice technologies are helping to reduce collisions caused by distracted hands and overwhelmed eyes. Individuals overlook the cognitive overload present when operating a vehicle while dialing and talking on a phone. The Department of Labor is working in conjunction with the Department of Transportation to campaign against the fatal consequences of distracted driving. Whether these changes encourage fewer collisions, as has been true with intoxicated driving, will be interesting to follow.

It is believed that highway improvements have helped to curb many distracted driving wrecks. Those roads with technological improvements, such as raised lane markers, startle some drivers into an awakened state. Corrugated road edges which create warning sounds also make our roads safer. The wider the road the easier it is for the inattentive driver to take corrective action. The new technologies have also allowed for highway lights and posts which break away. These have caused greater municipal expense, but the savings in lives are being demonstrated every day.

Accidents happen. According to the National Safety Council, there are regarding ten million automobile crashes every year in America. From minor scrapes and bruises to more serious injuries, around one-quarter of all crashes result in a visit to the hospital room. If the accident was not your fault, it is important to explore you legal choices as presently as doable. Here are 10 tips from car accident attorneys to facilitate you get the cash you wish to pay your injuries.

Go to the hospital. If you have been hurt in an car collision, it is imperative to hunt out medical attention ASAP. Don’t worry regarding your vehicle or regarding filing a police report till you’ve got seen a doctor. The medical report you may receive at the hospital will be a useful piece of evidence during a future legal claim or cause.

File a police report. If you don’t have a police report, your chances of with success following a legal claim square measure poor. Why? Because the info that is enclosed within the report may be accustomed establish the opposite driver’s negligence. Without these facts, it’s basically a case of he aforesaid, she said.

Keep all medical records. Since most car crash claims request restitution for medical expenses, it’s important to stay all hospital and doctor bills as proof of what you owe as a results of the accident.

Get repair estimates. If you have been hurt during a crash, odds are your vehicle is additionally in pretty dangerous form. To determine the particular quantity of property injury you sustained, it is important to get one or two of repair estimates.

Don’t deal with insurance corporations alone. It is not in the least uncommon for the victim to be contacted by the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. They may even cause you to associate initial provide to undertake to settle the matter before it becomes a legal claim or cause. Although negotiating with insurers is half of the method, you should have car accident attorneys do the wrangling for you.

Don’t sign something while not legal recommendation. In order to receive what you’re owed, lawyers for the at-fault driver may raise you sign documents or contracts that unleash their shopper from liability. You should ne’er sign such a type while not chatting with a professional person regarding its legal ramifications.

Don’t delay. Depending on the laws of your state, you might not have a lot of time to file a legal claim or cause. That is why auto accident attorneys powerfully recommend that you simply get organized before the statute of limitations has expired.

Don’t settle on your own. While it might be tempting to avoid wasting some coin by negotiating your own settlement, odds are it will not work out in your favor. Experienced attorneys have the data and ability to get you a considerably higher settlement.

Find the right professional person. There are several sorts of non-public injury lawyers WHO concentrate on completely different types of cases. Some might focus on slip and fall cases, while others concentrate on medical malpractice. If you were hurt in a car crash, you want associate professional person who is aware of a way to investigate and pursue these types of cases.

Discuss all fees and costs with your professional person. While it is true that nearly all car accident attorneys work on a contingency basis, their fees may vary based mostly on what they’re asked to try and do. For example, they may receive a way higher proportion of the ultimate settlement ought to the case visit trial. As such, it is important to debate all fees in your initial consultation with prospective attorneys.

Follow these ten tips to get the cash you be on your personal injury claim.