6 Most Common Causes of Car Rollover Accidents
According to the National Safety Council, there are about 10 million car accidents in the U.S. each year. Driver error is the most common cause of car accidents. A survey conducted by the NHTSA revealed that about 94% of all car accidents in the country were caused by drivers who were not following the correct traffic rules.
This article will talk about some of the most common causes of car rollover accidents. Being aware of the various behaviors and situations that can cause car crashes can help lower the likelihood of getting involved in an accident that can seriously affect you and those around you.
- Not Paying Attention
In the U.S., not paying attention to the road and traffic conditions is the most common cause of car accidents. Despite the widespread media attention that distracted driving has received, accidents caused by inattention continue to rise.
Drivers must pay attention to the road at all times and never be checking messages or looking at their phones while driving. A car traveling at 60 mph will move around 88 feet every second. In the three or four seconds it takes to check your phone, your vehicle will be traveling up to 300 feet. Not paying attention to the traffic conditions for even a short time can lead to an accident.
- Speeding
Speeding is the second most common cause of car accidents. According to physics, the faster the car, the more ground it can cover in a given amount of time. This means that if you are driving at a speed that is faster than the posted limit, it will take you a shorter time to react to a critical situation. At some point, it will become physically impossible to prevent an accident.
- Driving Under the Influence
According to statistics, around 300,000 people in the U.S. drive drunk every day. Despite the millions of drunk driving accidents that occur each year, only about 1.5 million individuals are arrested for this offense.
In addition to causing numerous injuries, drinking and driving can cause harm to other people. According to the Department of Transportation, a person is injured in an automobile accident that can be attributed to alcohol consumption every two minutes.
- Reckless Driving
The term reckless driving refers to various actions that are considered to be dangerous and should be avoided by all drivers. These include not looking at the road and changing lanes without looking. Other violations such as failing to keep a proper interval between the vehicle in front of you and moving into the other lanes without looking are also considered violations of driving standards.
While it’s important to avoid certain behaviors that are considered dangerous, it’s also important to note that some drivers resort to aggressive driving to vent their frustration. This type of behavior does not change the conditions of the road, and it increases the chances of getting into an accident as a result of your careless actions.
- Bad Weather
Winter weather can cause various conditions to deteriorate the road conditions, such as rain, snow and ice. These can make driving difficult to control. Aside from slowing down, it’s important to maintain a steady speed while driving in bad weather.
It’s important to allow yourself more time to reach your destination and keep a larger distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you while driving in inclement weather. Doing these simple steps can help make driving safer.
- Driving While Sleepy
Driving while you’re sleep-deprived can be as dangerous as driving after a night of drinking. Your ability to react and vision are impaired as well, and this is compounded by the fact that you’re driving.
Take some advice from professional truckers and pull over if you feel like you need to take a break and get some rest. Doing so can help you reach your destination in one piece.