No matter how cautious we are when we are driving, statistics tell us that the chances are rather high that we will be involved in a car accident during the course of our lifetime. With over six million car accidents each year in the United States, that means that there are over 14,000 car accidents each and every day around the country. In San Bernardino alone, there were over 8,000 car accidents for the year 2008 according to the California Highway Patrol. What causes all of these car accidents? San Bernardino personal injury lawyer Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates says that the vast majority of them are caused, at least in part, by driver error.
While driver error is, by far, the biggest contributing factor to car accidents in the United States, that is a very broad category. At the tope of the list within the category of driver error is distracted driving says San Bernardino personal injury lawyer Emery Ledger. Distracted driving can be anything from texting while driving to “rubber-necking” – watching another accident while driving. We all get distracted while driving – sometimes it is inevitable. The problem is that when we take our eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, we are significantly more likely to be involved in an accident. With constantly changing road conditions, answering a quick cell phone call or reaching back to settle down a fussy baby can take precious seconds away from paying attention to the road. It is those very seconds that can mean the difference between being in a car accident or avoiding one. In most potential accident scenarios, a driver has only about two seconds to create to the hazard. If someone is distracted – for whatever reason – then they have lost the opportunity to react.
Another big contributing to car accidents is drowsy driving. Estimates are that at least 100,000 accidents and 1500 deaths are caused each year by drowsy driving, according to San Bernardino personal injury lawyer Emery Ledger. This is another one of those things that many people admit to doing at some point in time. Whether it is to get to that vacation spot earlier, to get home from work or because of the effects of medication, people drive when they are too tired to be doing so. The worst part about drowsy driving is that most people don’t realize they were falling asleep until they either crash or come very close to doing so.
Also within the category of driver error accidents are drunk driving or under the influence accidents. We all know the dangers of drinking and driving, but many accidents each year are also caused by drivers under the influence of prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs. Anything that affects your ability to react or your judgment can rapidly become the cause of an accident.
Lastly, driver error can be something as simple as speeding or disregarding a traffic signal. Many drivers think that driving a few miles over the speed limit isn’t such a big deal or that there is never any traffic at a particular intersection so it’s not a big deal to not come to a complete stop. The truth is that experts have spent years deciding what speed limit is safe to travel at on a particular road and where traffic lights are necessary. Disregarding the rules of the road can either be the cause of an accident or can make an inevitable accident much worse.
If you have been involved in a San Bernardino car accident and you believe that driver error was the reason for the accident, then consult with an experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyers as soon as possible. San Bernardino personal injury lawyer Emery Ledger can be reached at his firm, Ledger & Associates, online at www.ledgerlaw.com or at 1-800-300-0001.
