Common Causes of Traffic Accidents

Traffic collisions are so common that they are the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control more than 32,000 people are tragically killed, and 2 million are injured each year from motor vehicle accidents. The majority of those accidents, driver’s negligence or a driver’s error is to blame for a life-altering traffic accident. Errors and negligence can develop in many ways; which is why Miller Weisbrod’s team of personal injury lawyers would like to discuss a few of the leading causes of fatal and injurious traffic accidents.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation recorded 483,164 motor vehicle accidents. These car accidents injured 205,498 people and tragically killed 3,896 others. Human error is the number one cause of car accidents. Negligent, careless, and reckless drivers cause an average of over 563 car accidents per day in Texas. Shockingly, there was an 18.94% increase in the number of car and truck accidents resulting in deaths from 2019.

In 2020, there was not a single day without a car wreck involving a death. More fatal car accidents occurred in October than any other month.

Car accidents resulted in thousands of serious injuries. Statistics show there were 12,107 serious injury car crashes with a total of 14,656 persons being injured. A total of 205,498 persons suffered an injury due to a car or truck accident in 2020.

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Faulty evasive action
• Failure to yield
• Failure to obey stop signs
• Fatigued driving or falling asleep at the wheel

Driving under the influence, distracted driving, and speeding are the top contributing factors in fatal car accidents in Texas. If a negligent or reckless driver caused your car accident or took a loved one’s life, call now. Our car accident attorneys can help determine the cause of your car accident and file a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault person or company if the wreck involves a commercial vehicle or a person driving for work.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI)

Data from the Department of Public Safety shows that impaired driving accounted for 31 percent of fatal traffic accidents. Even though impaired driving has been on the decline nationwide, this reckless driving habit still accounts for a third of deadly traffic accidents and leaves tens of thousands suffering.

The most deaths due to alcohol involved car or truck accidents occurred between 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning. It is clear, intoxicated drivers leaving bars at the end of the night continue to be a problem all across Texas. Saturday was the deadliest day for drunk-driving car accidents.

SPEEDING

Speeding is another leading cause of fatal traffic accidents. Speeding contributed to 26 percent of all fatal accidents. Speed limits may be an inconvenience to some motorists, but they are actually developed with safety in mind. A motorist who is speeding could easily lose control of their vehicle, rear-end another motorist or cause an accident in a number of other ways. Speed also typically causes the resulting injuries to be more severe or deadly.

DISTRACTED DRIVING

Driver distraction is another leading cause of traffic accidents in the United States. According to the Department of Public Safety, distracted driving accounted for 9 percent of car accidents. Now that a majority of motorists have smart phones and use them behind the wheel, distracted driving continues to be a major safety hazard on the road. Cell phones are not solely to blame for distracted driving accidents, even activities like talking to a passenger, reaching for a cup of coffee or changing the volume on the stereo can lead to a tragic car accident.

Any one of these unsafe driving habits can lead to an accident and life-changing injuries for all parties involved. If you have been injured in car or truck accident caused by a negligent driver, speak with a car accident lawyer and set up a case evaluation to see what moves you need to make next. You may be eligible for compensation for your medical expenses, emotional distress and any other accident-related expenses you incur.

Those who are injured in a traffic accident caused by the negligent actions of another driver can contact the car accident lawyers of Miller Weisbrod about their legal options. We offer sound legal advice, experienced representation and dedicated advocacy to victims of car accidents. Miller Weisbrod represents persons who have suffered serious injuries and families that have lost a loved one due to a car or truck accident across the State of Texas.

Contact our offices in Dallas at 214.987.0005 to schedule a free consultation with our experienced car accident lawyers. If you are calling from anywhere in Texas please call toll free at 888.987.0005. You may also fill out the form on this page to have your case reviewed by an attorney.

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More texting drivers in Texas and other states

In four states where texting and driving is not banned, a study by AT&T found drivers text at a rate 17 percent higher than in states where the practice is banned.

Comparing the 46 states with bans on texting to the four that do not – Texas, Missouri, Arizona and Montana – researchers with AT&T found drivers in the states without a ban have a roughly 17 percent higher rate of texting.

The study used AT&T customers with Android phones and logged their texting from moving vehicles. The information, which only included incidents of texting and shielded identities, was then analyzed with a host of other factors to get a valid sample of how likely people are to text while commuting in metro areas, Susanne Halstead, senior data scientist with AT&T, said Tuesday. (Data gathered by AT&T Drive Mode® application)

That means unlike surveys where people are "asked" about their texting habits behind the wheel; the study is based on actual incidents of people texting from a moving car and census data related to how many people drive alone or with someone.

Supporters of statewide texting bans said the findings demonstrate laws have a positive effect.

“There is concrete evidence that states with texting bans have fewer drivers who are texting,” said Kara Macek, spokeswoman for the Governors Highway Safety Association. “Which is the exact behavior we are trying to change.”

Forty cities in the state have a local ban, including Bellaire, Conroe, Galveston, Missouri City, Tomball and West University Place. But attempts to ban texting while driving in Texas have run into opposition or ambivalence in Austin, where Gov. Greg Abbott and his predecessor Rick Perry have both balked at a law they said controlled adult behavior.

The study, which provides valuable comparisons, Macek said, gives ban supporters more opportunity to urge for law changes but also another chance to warn drivers. Ultimately, she added, it is not about texting but all types of distractions that drivers confront.

Distracted Driving Statistics
Although teen drivers are the most susceptible group to distracted driving, nearly every age group participates in some type of distracted driving habits. According to Distraction.Gov, “An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2012.”

Contact Us
If you were seriously injured, or a loved one died in a car accident caused by distracted driver, call the offices of Miller Weisbrod, LLP, located in Dallas, today at 214.987.0005 or toll free at 888.987.0005 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury trial attorney. You may also contact us by e-mail for answers to your important questions or to schedule an appointment.

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Distracted Driving has surpassed drunk driving deaths

Distracted driving has become rampant on roadways across the country, outranking drunk driving as our nation’s leading cause of auto accident fatalities.

Distracted driving-related crashes have skyrocketed over the last decade, as smartphones, music players, and navigation systems have grown in prevalence. Too often, drivers forget that cars can be dangerous weapons when handled improperly, allowing their attention to drift away from the task of driving in order to answer a text message, bite into a burger, or change a song. Texting while driving is especially dangerous since it takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the task of driving.

Right now, approximately 660,000 drivers are texting, talking on a phone, or using an electronic device in our country. Studies have found that no demographic is without guilt—drivers of all ages, genders, races, and backgrounds admit to engaging in distracted driving behaviors while driving.

Dangerous Driving Behaviors in Different Ages

Teen Drivers
Around one in three teens between the ages of 16 and 17 have reported texting while driving. But texting isn’t the only dangerous driving behavior that teens are likely to engage in. Many teens also have admitted to reading, doing homework, and changing their clothing while driving. Additionally, teen drivers can easily become distracted by passengers, especially when those passengers are their peers.

How to Reduce the Odds of an Accident
If you’re not comfortable with your teen driving a car full of rowdy passengers, set your own restrictions. If you do allow your teen to drive their friends around, make sure you talk to them about the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of staying focused on their environment—not the other people in the vehicle.

Ask your teen not to drive at times known to be particularly dangerous for teen drivers, or at least ask them not to drive at night (with an intermediate license in the state of Florida, teens should not be driving on their own after 11 pm anyway). Caution your teen to watch out for dangerous driving behavior— weaving or sudden acceleration and deceleration—and to leave plenty of room if they see a driver who may be drunk. If your teen does drink, make sure they know it is better to call you and ask for a ride than to risk driving home drunk and put their lives in danger.

Remember, just because your teen has earned their driver’s license doesn’t mean they are done learning about defensive driving and the rules of the road. Continue to instruct your teenager when you drive with them, and they will hopefully begin developing the skills necessary to reduce their chances of being in a crash.

Adult Drivers
A shocking 47 percent of adults who text say that they have texted or read a message while driving. Other common distracted driving behaviors among adult motorists that cause serious accidents include daydreaming, smoking cigarettes, and adjusting music or climate systems.

Senior Drivers
Today, there are more drivers aged 65 and older on the road than ever before. Senior drivers are 16 percent more likely than younger adult drivers to cause a crash due to deteriorating health, slower reaction time, and the influence of medications. When seniors engage in distracted driving behaviors, it’s usually a recipe for disaster—and when senior drivers text behind the wheel, they are four times as likely to accidentally veer out of their lane than younger adults or teen drivers.

How Technology Can Help


Of course, in-car technology isn’t all bad. While technology is often the cause of many distracted driving accidents, it can also be used to prevent it. Today, there are a variety of apps for your smartphone specifically designed to prevent distracted driving behaviors, such as:

Drive First
Sprint customers enjoy a free download of this handy app, which auto-responds to incoming text messages and redirects calls to voicemail during a drive. While the app prevents drivers from texting or making calls during a drive, it does allow emergency calls to certain numbers.

Drive Mode®
AT&T Drive Mode switches on automatically when a vehicle is in motion, auto-responding to text messages while allowing the driver to easily access music and navigation. Parents can even arrange to receive text message alerts if their kids ever turn off their app.

Safely Go™
Verizon’s distracted driving prevention app, Safely Go, allows drivers to access only three important apps and receive calls from three key contacts while driving. Calls are enabled through Bluetooth and other hands-free devices.

Distracted Driving Statistics
Although teen drivers are the most susceptible group to distracted driving, nearly every age group participates in some type of distracted driving habits. According to Distraction.Gov, “An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2012.”

•    10% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the
      crash.This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted

•    Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal crashes
    – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

•    At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or
     manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010
     – National Occupant Protection Use Survey

•    Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s
     enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded – VTTI

•    25% of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive. 20% of teens and
     10% of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving
     – University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

Contact Us
If you were seriously injured, or a loved one died in a car accident caused by distracted driver, call the offices of Miller Weisbrod, LLP, located in Dallas, today at 214.987.0005 or toll free at 888.987.0005 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury trial attorney. You may also contact us by e-mail for answers to your important questions or to schedule an appointment.

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