Common Car Accident Causes

Every year thousands of Americans suffer injuries in car accidents throughout the United States. The Institute of Insurance Safety reports that a total of 37,133 people died in a car accident in 2017 in 34,247 car accidents. The annual economic cost of car accidents is estimated to be roughly $242 billion. The most common causes of fatalities caused by car accidents include speeding, alcohol use, distracted driving, and a lack of seat belt use. A common issue in many accidents is the increasing us of personal electronic devices such as cell phones leading to distracted driving. Many local governments have attempted to combat the issue by increasing penalties for distracted driving without much success at curbing the behavior.

No matter the causes, moderate to severe car accidents can cause debilitating injuries. If you or a family member have suffered an injury in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Under North Carolina law, negligent or reckless drivers who cause another person’s injuries have a duty to compensate them for their injuries.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we have helped many clients receive compensation for their injuries. To discuss how our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you, contact our law firm for a free initial consultation today.

Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol

Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances is one of the main causes of car accidents in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 28 people die as a result of drunk driving every day in the United States. Every 53 minutes, someone dies as a result of drunk driving. In the last ten years, nearly 113,000 people have been killed as a result of drunk driving in the United States. Indeed, drunk driving accounts for almost 30% of all fatalities in car accidents.

Alcohol is not the only cause of deaths caused by driving while under the influence. Legal and illegal drugs other than alcohol were involved in 16% of all motor vehicle accidents. The CDC reports that marijuana users are at approximately 25% more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents. In 2016 alone, law enforcement officers arrested over 1 million drivers for driving under the influence of narcotics or alcohol 111 million adults self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving.

If you have suffered an injury caused by a drunk driver, you have a legal right to seek compensation for your injuries under North Carolina law. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC our skilled personal injury attorneys have helped many clients recover compensation for their injuries. In order to succeed in a personal injury lawsuit against a drunk driver, the plaintiff will need to prove that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident and that the crash caused his or her injuries.

Driver Negligence or Error

In addition to driving while under the influence, driver negligence or error is another common contributor to car accidents in North Carolina. Driver negligence happens in a variety of ways to include the following:

• Tailgating or speeding: In our increasingly busy society, drivers have become more impatient than ever. Drivers who are in a hurry to reach their destinations are more likely to use excessive speeds on the road. Drivers who speed are more likely to cause accidents. Similarly, drivers who tailgate other drivers may negligently cause a rear-end collision.
• Failure to pay attention to other drivers: Drivers have the ability to use their cell phones to listen to podcasts, books on tape, and videos while driving. Doing so can cause drivers to miss seeing the actions of other drivers on the road. For example, a driver who is not paying adequate attention to his or her surroundings could miss a driver merging in front of them on the highway and causing an accident.
• Driver distraction: Drivers who text while driving increases the risk of accidents. Even checking a text message for five seconds while driving can cause a severe motor vehicle accident. Many motor vehicle accidents include some distracted driving. When drivers are not completely focused on the road, and their distracted driving causes an accident, they may be liable to the injured parties.

If You Have Suffered an Injury in a Car Accident, We Can Help

The attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have extensive experience fighting on behalf of injured clients. To learn how we can help you in your attempt to receive compensation, Call us now at 704.370.2828 to speak with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and our new location in Monroe.

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