Dangerous Habits of Drivers

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

Driving a car is very dangerous activity.  For example, in Illinois during the first six months of 2012 there was a 17 percent increase in car-related fatalities compared to the previous year. Most accidents can be linked to certain dangerous driving behaviors which may not be illegal.  Being aware of the how your habits can cause accidents may help you avoid injury or death.

Speeding

Though drunk driving is the leading cause of traffic deaths, the second leading cause is speeding.  This is because it creates less time to react to other drivers on the road.  It can also require more erratic driving like lane changes or other dangerous decisions to avoid traffic.

Driving Tired

Operating a motor vehicle while being tired is a common occurrence for young men, shift workers, and people with sleep disorders.  The tendency is to push the envelope to sleep at the destination but sometimes that doesn't occur.  Falling asleep while driving is very dangerous because it doesn't allow the operator to react to an impending accident.

Distracted Driving

If you were meant to put on makeup or shave in the car, auto manufacturers would have installed sinks near the front seat.  Cell phones can also take your attention off the road but their use has been limited or outright banned in Illinois due the dangers they pose.  The US Department of Transportation revealed that in 2011, in excess of 3,000 people died due to distracted driving in the United States.

Not Using a Seatbelt

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that over the five year period of 2004 to 2008 that safety restraints that over 70,000 lives were saved by the use of seat belts.  While they save lives, they can also limit injuries in low-speed car accidents which occur while driving around town.

While you can limit the habits and try to keep yourself safe in the car, there are other people on the road who may not.  If you are hit by a careless driver, then you deserve to be compensated for your pain and suffering.  Contact a skilled personal injury attorney in Orland Park today.

image courtesy of  nuttakit / freedigitalphotos.net