Every day that you drive to and from work or drop the kids off at school, you witness a near-miss, see a fender-bender on the side of the road, or nearly get hit yourself. Why are auto accidents so common? Is it just because there are so many vehicles out on the road?
The real reason accidents happen so frequently is because certain behaviors and circumstances occur too often.
Here are the most common reasons an auto accident in Las Vegas happens so easily and how the right car accident lawyer in Las Vegas can help.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention off the road. The most common is texting or doing anything on your phone when you’re behind the wheel. When you take your eyes off the road for a few seconds, you can travel the length of a football field or more without seeing where you’re going. Other forms of distracted driving include eating, reading, grooming, putting on makeup, and talking to passengers or on the phone.
Speeding
We all know we’re supposed to follow the speed limit, but nearly all of us are guilty of going too fast at some point. Everyone’s in a hurry, and most of us are running late. Speeding doesn’t actually get you there any faster and can cause devastating accidents. There’s a difference between slamming into another car at 30 miles an hour and 50 miles an hour.
Reckless Driving
Have you ever watched someone weave in and out of traffic and thought, “That is so unsafe!” Reckless drivers tend to make everyone else hold their steering wheel a little tighter. These drivers dart from lane to lane, drive aggressively, cut you off in traffic, and often tailgate. They’re often in a rush to get wherever they’re going, not understanding that they’re an accident waiting to happen.
Tailgating
While tailgating is a form of reckless driving, it’s a danger all by itself. When you tailgate you don’t give yourself time to slow down or stop. When someone behind you tailgates, all you can imagine is the accident you’re about to be in when you have to slam on your brakes. Even minor accidents after being hit from behind can cause injuries that send people to the doctor and keep them from working.
Not Stopping
Whether it’s a red light or a stop sign, we’ve all seen the person who blazes right through the intersection without even slowing down. It may have happened to you a few times when you weren’t paying attention or thought you could “make it.” This is how accidents happen at intersections, sending cars flying into each other. It’s also a good reason not to immediately take off from a green light, because you never know who won’t stop.
Drugs and Alcohol
Driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) are things we’ve heard about for years. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and other organizations have done such a good job in the community, you might think it’s not really a problem anymore. Unfortunately, many people still get behind the wheel after drinking, taking drugs, or even taking prescription medications that make it hard for them to drive.
Bad Weather
You can’t help the weather, but you can help how you drive in it. Rain, ice, snow, and fog all mean one thing — slow down and drive carefully. The posted speed limit is the speed you’re meant to drive in ideal weather conditions — a beautiful sunny day with perfect visibility. The moment the weather changes, slow down to avoid being in an auto accident further down the road.
Bad Driving
Anyone can be a bad driver sometimes, either because they’re not paying attention or because they’re lost. This includes improper turns and u-turns that put everyone in harm’s way, driving the wrong way on the road, and not following signs or speed limits in construction zones. All of these can lead to a big accident.
Road Rage
We’ve all seen headlines about someone getting out of their vehicle and shooting another driver in a fit of road rage. While that’s a real risk, accidents caused by angry drivers are far more likely. Road rage can lead to aggressive driving, reckless driving, tailgating, and purposely trying to cause an accident.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
When you’ve been the victim of an accident for any of these reasons, the other driver is at fault, and their insurance should pay your medical bills, fix or replace your vehicle to make you whole again. Unfortunately, this isn’t what typically happens. A good personal injury attorney will work on your behalf to negotiate with the insurance company or take your case to court to get you the compensation you’re owed.
Conclusion
The best way to avoid being on the wrong end of a personal injury lawsuit is to drive safely, follow the rules of the road, and slow down. But you can’t control how other drivers behave. When a car accident happens out of nowhere, protect yourself and work with a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas who will fight for you. Contact Ed Bernstein and Associates today or call us at 702-979-4791.