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3 most common causes of motor vehicle collisions
Along city roads and throughout the Tennessee highway system, motorists encounter danger on nearly every trip. Whether they are driving to school, work or simply completing household errands, drivers must avoid hazards that result from weather, road conditions, defective car parts and other drivers on the road. Unfortunately, negligent or inattentive drivers tend to cause a significant number of devastating crashes every year.
While the specific factors that can lead to a motor vehicle collision are countless, most can be attributed to three general categories:
- Distracted driving: Even with education, warning signs and legislative pressure, distracted driving seems to be a problem that simply will not go away. From eating and personal grooming to texting and manipulating a GPS menu, drivers face countless distractions while behind the wheel. Some activities, such as taking a sip from a coffee cup, are so pervasive that they are not recognized as distractions. Any action that takes the hands from the steering wheel, the eyes from the road or the driver’s attention away from the act of driving can be considered a distraction.
- Impaired driving: In the past, many people considered impairment to be solely based on alcohol. In fact, impaired driving can be the result of alcohol, drugs or prescription medication. Any substance that impacts a driver’s reaction time, perception or ability to concentrate on the road can lead to devastating accidents.
- Drowsy driving: It is not uncommon for drivers to get behind the wheel in a drowsy or fatigued state. Whether it is leaving for an early-morning commute or coming home from a late-night study session, drivers can suffer the effects of fatigue. Additionally, strong cold medicine or personal factors such as insomnia can make a driver dangerous to those around him or her.