Factors Contributing to Car Accidents

There are a number of factors, behaviors, actions and lack thereof that can lead to car accidents, serious injuries and death. Some of the most common causes of tragic car accidents include:

Traffic Violations: The most common traffic violations that lead to car accidents are: speeding, running a red light or a stop sign, not signaling, crossing the median, driving the wrong way down a street, not stopping for pedestrians, driving on the shoulder of the street or highway, passing in a no-passing zone, tailgating, improper lane changing, using a hand-held device and reckless driving. Drivers whose traffic violation has led to a car accident are often cited by a police officer at the scene. Personal injury lawyers often use the citation as additional proof of negligent behavior against the defendant.

Driver Error: Driver error is the most common cause of car accidents. Driver fatigue, drowsiness, distraction, aggressive driving and driving in an impaired state are just some of the mistakes that lead to a large number of car crashes. Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is the most common driver error in the United States. In 2006 alone, 1.45 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). In fact, each year, a large number of DUI accidents lead to tragic and unnecessary deaths of one or more individuals. Such cases have also led to a number of DUI lawsuits.

Equipment Failure: As dictated by state laws, auto manufacturers are required to design and engineer cars that meet a certain level of safety. However, a number of design flaws that have presented themselves over the years have contributed to many car accidents resulting in a number of minor and serious injuries, including death. The most common car accidents due to design flaws are SUV accidents and millions of models have been recalled over the past few years by some of the world's leading domestic and international car makers. Other common design flaws include break failure, tire failure, steering and suspension problems. Design flaws are a serious issue and have led to a number of car accidents and unnecessary deaths. In fact, many attorneys specialize in class action lawsuits against manufacturers, using the state's product liability laws. In cases where one or more people have died as a result of a car accident caused by a design flaw or mechanical failure, the auto accident attorney will request the maximum amount of compensation and punitive damages as part of a wrongful death settlement.

Road Design: Flawed roadway design, although rare, is another factor that can lead to car accidents. The most common roadway flaws involve merging lanes, failure and/or lack of traffic control devices, failure to display warning signs during road construction and similar circumstances. In such cases, the government may be held liable. If you believe that a flawed road design may have caused you to crash, you should contact a personal injury attorney regarding car accident compensation right away.