Six Most Common Causes Of Wrecks

December 20th, 2017

We all would like to think that we are highly skilled drivers and that if the moment comes, we would be able to avoid a wreck using our skills and instinct. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many, if not most of us. However, maybe if we know the most common causes of wrecks, maybe we can avoid them in the future. Read below for the six most common causes of wrecks:

1. Rolling right turn on red
   1. Situation: You don’t come to a complete stop at a red light to make a right turn. You look left, still accelerating—and as you make the turn you hit something or someone in the other lane.
   2. Solution: Come to a complete stop at a red light before turning right. It takes a few seconds but saves a huge headache.
2. Falling asleep at the wheel
   1. Situation: Something we think could never happen to us, yet it happens way too often. Drowsy driving accounts for 21 percent of all crashes according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The truth of the matter is, humans can’t judge their own sleepiness and we all fall into microsleeps we don’t even notice. Microsleeps can happen to anyone at any time, even while driving.
   2. Solution: Get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep at night, drink coffee if you know you’re tired. Don’t drive alone when you know you’re tired.
3. Loss of control
   1. Situation: Loss of control accounts for 11 percent of all crashes. You take a sharp curve too fast or don’t account for the fresh water on the road after a light drizzle. And then the unthinkable happens, you lose control of your vehicle and slide off the road or into oncoming traffic.
   2. Solution: Adjust accordingly to the weather, the road and all external factors when driving.
4. Into the unknown
   1. Situation: You wait to make a turn but something is blocking your view of oncoming traffic. You get impatient and make the turn anyway, then—CRASH!
   2. Solution: Never go if you can not confirm nothing is coming.
5. Rear-ending
   1. Situation: You’re in the left lane and the person in front of you is going 55 in a 60. You ride way too close to their bumper to prove a point until they slam on their brakes and you slam into them.
   2. Solution: Maintain a safe following distance between you and car in front of you at all times. The rule of thumb is two car lengths.
6. Distracted driving
   1. Situation: You look down at the radio, read a text, look at a billboard and suddenly you feel the vibrations of the rumble strips and you veer back into your lane. But, what happens when you run off the road or worse, into oncoming traffic? Distracted driving accounts for 33 percent of all wrecks according to the NHTSA.
   2. Solution: Always pay attention to the road and never text and drive.

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