These are the Most Common Car Accident Scenarios

By Ferrara & Gable | February 22, 2022

When passing by a car accident, it is easy to dismiss the drivers involved as incompetent or irresponsible. This cognitive dissonance helps us distance ourselves from the reality that our risk of personal injury from an accident is often the same or even higher than those individuals we just drove past. Read on for some information on some of the most common car accident scenarios.

Rolling a Right Turn on Red

When drivers approach a red light with the intention of turning right, it can be tempting to simply slow to a creeping roll instead of coming to a complete stop. While slowly rolling, drivers will glance to their left to check for any oncoming traffic. Upon returning their gaze to the road ahead, they are surprised to see a pedestrian or cyclist in their presence.

Although it may seem like a timesaver, rolling a right turn at a stoplight or stop sign is a common cause of accidents that result in personal injury. This behavior commands such a high attentional load that we often are unable to register the person or cyclist in time to come to a complete stop.

Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel 

Drivers are significantly bad at judging their level of fatigue while behind the wheel. In addition, a condition known as “highway hypnosis” can exacerbate any symptoms of tiredness or fatigue that drivers experience while traversing long open stretches of road.

Adding to the risk of personal injury from sleep-related car accidents is the threat of microsleep, which describes brief intervals of time (typically a few seconds) where our conscious brains go offline. As any experienced personal injury attorney can attest, a few seconds is more than enough time for a vehicle to cause significant injury to another driver or pedestrian.

Self-monitoring is the best remedy for driving while tired. Drivers are ultimately responsible for monitoring their sleep schedules, caffeine intake, physical and mental fatigue, and any other factors that could inhibit them from staying awake while driving.

Losing Control of the Vehicle

Many Americans operate under the false assumption that just because they passed a driver’s education course, they have technical mastery of their vehicle. This could not be further from the truth, especially when operating a vehicle at high speed. When drivers maneuver aggressively or take a turn too fast at high speed, the risk for personal injury increases drastically.

In addition, when someone else suddenly maneuvers in front of our vehicle or otherwise puts us in a surprise situation, our reactivity is often much worse than we expect. Awareness of our surroundings and a respect for the unpredictability of our own vehicles at high speeds is the best mitigation against accidents stemming from loss of control.

When to Contact an Attorney

While the causes of car accidents are varied, injured drivers are often unified in their desire to seek financial compensation for damages incurred. To be successful in this endeavor hinges on the ability of the plaintiff and their personal injury attorney to prove that the other driver’s negligent behavior was the root cause of the accident.

For years, the attorneys at Ferrara & Gable have been helping accident victims in New Jersey as they navigate the legal process of recovering compensation for damages. Contact Ferrara & Gable today for a free case consultation.

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Posted in Motor Vehicle Accident