Despite the recent improvements in technology and road safety, car accidents are still happening all around the world. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death in the U.S. Car accidents are traumatic experiences that can leave you physically and mentally scarred. Car accident causes can be broken up into two categories: driver error and everything else (uneven roads, extreme weather conditions, etc).
What is Driver error?
Driver Error is the single leading cause of car accidents. Driver error can be defined by many things but is consistently associated with distractions that cause a driver to become negligent. Driver error encompasses all the distractions listed below:
- Cell phone usage
- Texting while driving
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
- Fatigue
The errors listed above only constitute the most common driver errors. The leading distraction contributing to driver error is cell phone usage, while speeding and fatigue are a close second.
What causes Driver error?
Driver error is perpetuated by the myth of multi-tasking and an overconfidence of abilities. As recent studies have shown, our brains aren’t hardwired to be able to perform two important tasks at the same time. When we attempt to multitask, our attention is just toggling between two tasks at a rapid rate, which leads to poorer decisions, delayed reaction times, and poorer performance on the tasks at hand.
Overconfidence, on the other hand, causes drivers to make reckless decisions that endanger themselves and others around them. Overconfidence is what spurs drivers to speed or make unsafe lane changes which leads to poor judgment that can cause a car accident.
Overconfidence in abilities and multitasking causes driver errors by impairing driver decision and splitting attention.
Regardless of what causes driver error, the important thing to take away from all of this is that driver error is something that can be completely prevented:
Follow the speed limit. Don’t text and drive. Don’t drive while buzzed or drunk. Pull over if you’re falling asleep at the wheel. Use your signals while changing lanes.
Personal injuries sustained from car accidents can have a lasting impact on you and your family. Aside from the physical injuries inflicted the trauma of a car accident will likely stay with you. In extreme cases, there have been studies of car accident victims suffering symptoms similar to PTSD following a car accident. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident due to driver error, contact our Las Vegas car accident attorneys today for help on your case.
Our Las Vegas auto accident attorneys will be able to refer you to medical professionals to get the care and treatment you need and deal with the insurance companies in your stead. For most of our personal injury cases we work on a contingency fee basis meaning you don’t pay a dime. Our fees will be collected from the amount of your recovery. Drummond Law Firm is a highly experienced law firm in personal injury matters both in settlement and litigation.
