It is simple to write off the drivers who were engaged in a car accident as inexperienced or careless while passing by one. This cognitive dissonance enables us to ignore the fact that we frequently face a similar or even greater chance of suffering personal injuries in an accident than the people we were just driving past.
The negligent driver should compensate you for the damages they cost you, but you need to know who was at fault for the accident. Determining the fault in a car accident is a difficult task without the help of a lawyer. Without determining who caused the accident, it is impossible to file a claim unless it is a no-fault state.
Continue reading for information on some of the most typical auto accident scenarios.
Turning right on red
It can be tempting for drivers to simply slow down to a crawling roll rather than coming to a complete stop while approaching a red light to turn right. Drivers will look to their left as they slowly roll to make sure there is no approaching traffic. When they turn back to the road in front of them, they’re startled to spot a person on foot or a bicycle. Rolling a right at a stoplight or stop sign is a typical reason for accidents that end in bodily injury, despite the fact that it could appear like a time-saving maneuver. Because of how demanding this behavior is on our attention, we frequently miss the person or biker in time to stop fully.
Falling asleep while driving
The ability of drivers to assess their level of weariness while operating a vehicle is very poor. Additionally, “highway hypnosis” is a condition that can make any signs of sleepiness or exhaustion worse for drivers as they travel along long, open stretches of road. The threat of microsleep, which defines tiny periods (usually a few seconds) where our conscious brains go offline, increases the risk of personal damage from sleep-related car accidents. As any skilled personal injury lawyer can attest, a few seconds are more than enough time for a car to seriously hurt another driver or pedestrian. The best prevention for driving while fatigued is self-monitoring. Drivers are ultimately in charge of keeping an eye on their sleep patterns, coffee intake, level of physical and mental exhaustion, and other factors that can make it difficult to stay awake while driving.
Losing control of the vehicle
Many people mistakenly believe that just because they have completed a driver’s education course, they automatically possess technical knowledge of their car. This couldn’t be further from the truth, particularly while driving a car quickly. The risk of personal injury dramatically rises when drivers make aggressive maneuvers or make rapid turns at high speeds. Additionally, our reaction time is frequently considerably poorer than we anticipate when someone else unexpectedly moves in front of our car or puts us in another unexpected position. The best defense against accidents resulting from loss of control is awareness of our surroundings and respect for the unpredictable nature of our cars at high speeds.
When to speak with a lawyer
Car accidents can have a variety of causes, but injured drivers frequently share a desire to pursue financial recompense for their losses. The plaintiff’s and their personal injury lawyer’s ability to demonstrate that the other driver’s negligence was the primary factor in the accident is crucial to their potential to succeed in this endeavor.
