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The Top 7 Causes of Automobile Accidents

By Oguz Ozdemir

You often hear people say it is safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car and when you watch the evening news or read the daily newspaper it would be hard to dispute that fact. Automobile accidents occur every single day and produce a new set of victims daily, hourly, every minute of the day.

Why do so many accidents occur? There are a number of reasons, some of which are a result of human error, but some can definitely be prevented through awareness and preliminary precautions. Here are some of the top causes of automobile accidents that are currently happening on the highways across the country.

1. Driving while intoxicated or DUI is probably one of the worst offenses because it is pure negligence and could easily be prevented. More and more people are taking the time to include a designated driver to prevent a potential disaster. Teenagers and young adults are often taking risks and many states hold this group to an even stricter blood alcohol level.

2. Speeding is also a preventable cause of auto accidents. Damage and injuries to all involved are often directly proportionate to the rate of speed of the person driving who caused the accident. If you get a speeding violation you may have to take a driving class in order to keep your insurance from increasing but the cost of the fines should slow some people down.

3. Aggressive driving is now referred to as road rage. You really never know who is in the car that is behind you or in front of you. You may just be impatient but the other person may have had a bad day and is looking for just the right person to take it out on - don't let it be you.

4. It sounds frivolous to call a distracted driver a cause for an auto accident but how many times did you hear of someone say they were just changing the radio station, or they just reached over to pick up something that had dropped to the floor? It doesn't take a station wagon full of screaming kids to distract you from the road, it can also be the simplest of things.

5. There is nothing worse than being tired and trying to drive. If this happens to you, don't be a hero. Get off the road and take a nap. The worst part of being a drowsy driver either from being tired or as a result of medication is that you don't even know that it is happening, it just does and you can't stop it. Even a half an hour to an hour of rest can prevent an irreversible tragedy that you will have to face for the rest of your life.

6. Keeping your car maintained is a preventable way to lower your chance of causing or being involved in an auto accident. If your brakes are not up to par, you have a signal light out, or your brake lights aren't working, you are increasing your liability in causing a crash.

7. One of the most recent additions to the cause of shame for car accidents is cell phone use and texting. Many states are banning cell phone use except for emergencies. Some are banning even the use of headsets and texting is nearly impossible to undertake without taking your eyes off the road.

Take these points into consideration so that you are not the cause of a car accident. If you happen to become a victim of an automobile accident through the negligence of another person, please contact the legal team of Napoli Bern Ripka at 1-888-LAW-IN-NY and we will put our expertise to work for you.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Oguz Ozdemir

Full post as published by New York City Personal Injury Lawyer on August 07, 2009 (boomark / email).