Accidents Caused By Human Error
Speeding
There are more than 27 million licensed drivers in California. This is over 2 million more than the 2019 total population of Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming combined. That’s a lot of cars on the road, and each one is bound by California’s Basic Speed Law, which states: “You may never drive faster than is safe for current conditions. Regardless of the posted speed limit, your speed should depend on:- The number and speed of other vehicles on the road
- Whether the road surface is smooth, rough, graveled, wet, dry, wide, or narrow
- Bicyclists or pedestrians on or crossing the roadway
- Whether it is raining, foggy, snowing, windy, or dusty”
Reckless Driving
According to California Vehicle Code Section 23103 reckless driving is “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” It is a misdemeanor and carries a penalty of not less than five days nor more than 90 days in jail, and a fine of not less than one hundred forty-five dollars ($145) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).Fatigued Driving
The National Sleep Foundation reports half of those surveyed report they have driven drowsy and approximately 20 percent admit that they have actually fallen asleep at the wheel in the previous year. An unfortunate example of driver fatigue was reported in January 2019 by NBC Bay Area news. California Highway Patrol indicated that the driver of a truck involved in a fatal accident admitted he may have fallen asleep before veering off Highway 101.Drunk/Impaired Driving
Data from the 2018 report from California’s Office Of Traffic Safety shows, despite statewide initiatives such as the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased 15.0 percent from the 2011-2015 five-year rolling average of 852 to the 2013-2017 five-year rolling average of 980.Distracted Driving
Some of the most common reasons drivers become distracted are:- Rubbernecking
- Texting
- GPS navigation systems
- Eating and drinking while driving
- Talking to passengers
- Dealing with small children
- Having a pet in the vehicle
- Driving the wrong way
- Being unfamiliar with the roadways
Accidents Caused by Environmental Issues
The Federal Highway’s Road Weather Management ProgThe team reveals some interesting metrics based on a 10-year average of data collected between 2007-2016. While one would think everyone will slow down while driving during inclement weather conditions, obviously, not everyone does.- On average, there are over 5,891,000 vehicle crashes each year
- Almost 21 percent of these crashes - nearly 1,235,000 - are weather-related
- On average, nearly 5,000 people are killed and over 418,000 people are injured in weather-related crashes each year
- 70 percent on wet pavement
- 46 percent of most weather-related crashes happen during rainfall
- Only 3 percent of accidents happen in the fog
- Losing control of the vehicle
- Hydroplaning
- Losing traction when driving through standing water
Accidents Caused by Vehicle Defects or Poor Maintenance
Injuries caused by automobile defects in design or manufacturing can result in serious and debilitating injuries. If the accident involves a commercial vehicle the importance of regular maintenance cannot be stressed enough. Some of the areas of concern are:- Defective brakes
- Worn or defective tires
- Defective windshield wipers
- Broken headlights or turn signals
- Defective or broken steering wheel