Common Causes Of Car Accidents
The following are just a few of the many ways car accident victims may end up in an accident in Stone Mountain, GA. Whether you see your situation mentioned in the car crashes discussed below or not, contact our firm as soon as possible to speak with experienced car accident lawyers today.
Distracted driving
You may immediately think of texting behind the wheel when you hear distracted driving, which is true. Still, it covers any activity that takes a driver’s attention, such as talking on the phone, using a GPS, eating and drinking, or even daydreaming while driving. Any time a driver stops paying attention to their task, there may be disastrous consequences.
Speeding
Excessive speed makes it more challenging to control a vehicle and reduces reaction time in an emergency. Many people overestimate their reaction times, their ability to handle a car at high speeds, and their vehicle’s ability to handle certain road conditions. Higher speeds also equal higher force during the collision, which can lead to more severe injuries in a Stone Mountain car accident.
Impaired driving
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a significant cause of car accidents in Stone Mountain and throughout Georgia. Even if you are taking medication that can make you tired, avoid getting behind the wheel to ensure that everyone on the road is safe. A driver over the age of 21’s legal limit for alcohol is a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content ) level of .08%. Still, even lower levels can impair a driver’s ability to react quickly enough to avoid a drunk driving accident. Other drugs that don’t show up in BAC are still illegal, and even medication that can make someone drowsy can be extremely dangerous — and an apparent cause of a motor vehicle accident.
Reckless driving
Engaging in dangerous behavior like cutting off other drivers, making sudden lane changes, and weaving through traffic increases the risk of accidents for everyone on the road.Sharing the road with a reckless driver can be distracting, and being involved in a crash with them can be scary because you don’t know how they will react or if they will behave as aggressively after the crash as they did behind the wheel.
Defective car parts
Another common cause of car accidents in Stone Mountain is defective auto parts. These parts can malfunction or become defective at any time. Sometimes, this occurs when maintenance workers attempt to save money by using low-quality parts. Other times, part manufacturers will cut corners and use defective parts, even after testing shows that they may be dangerous. Fortunately, when defective car parts cause an accident, multiple parties could be held accountable, including:
- Auto parts designers
- Auto parts distributors
- Auto parts manufacturers
- Auto parts suppliers
- Maintenance professionals
- Safety inspectors
- Motor vehicle dealerships
- Executives
Your car accident attorney in Stone Mountain can help you identify the parties responsible for your car accident.
Hazardous road conditions
When the road conditions are dangerous, motor vehicle accidents are more common. Government agencies, including the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and municipalities, including Stone Mountain, must ensure roadways are safe for motorists and passengers at all times. This means they must ensure road construction zones are correctly secured, fill potholes, remove debris caused by dangerous weather conditions, and replace street signs that go missing. When they fail to make these necessary repairs or take proper safety precautions, they can be held accountable for the victim’s injuries. You can rely on your car accident attorney to go up against these government agencies and authorities to get justice for your suffering.
Poor weather conditions
Foggy weather reduces visibility, and slick, rainy roads reduce traction; both increase the likelihood of being involved in an accident due to losing control over one’s vehicle. Indeed, we do not have control over the weather, but we do control how we drive when the weather is poor or whether we go out onto the roads.
Running red lights/stop signs
Failing to obey stop signs or red lights is extremely dangerous because drivers may not be able to anticipate what another driver will do at an intersection where they have right of way privileges. In some car accident cases, these auto accidents are some of the easiest to establish fault. Still, even in a straightforward crash, the insurance company may resort to all sorts of tactics to pin additional comparative fault onto the victim simply to save as much money as possible.
