Car crashes raise many questions. One of the most important is, “How did the accident happen?” The answer to this question can significantly impact various aspects, including your personal injury claim. 

This article outlines several common and uncommon reasons for car accidents. It also outlines several reasons why understanding the cause of your accident is crucial for your Florida personal injury case. Finally, it explains how a Crestview auto accident lawyer can help. 

Common Causes of Car Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 90 percent of accidents are caused by driver error. That means that drivers are the most common causes of car accidents. Here are a few examples of risky driver behaviors: 

  • Speeding. Higher speeds reduce a driver’s reaction time, increase the amount of time needed to stop, and make it easier to lose control of a vehicle. Each of these factors increases the risk of a crash. 
  • Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Alcohol is a factor in nearly 30 percent of all fatal crashes. Alcohol affects vision, coordination, response time and other abilities people need to drive safely. 
  • Reckless Driving. Reckless drivers purposely engage in behavior that they know could cause an accident. Examples include drag racing, aggressive tailgating, and weaving through traffic. 
  • Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way. When a pedestrian enters a crosswalk, any cars in the area need to allow the pedestrian to proceed. Similar rules apply when a car entering a highway merges into moving traffic. Drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way to others place themselves and others in danger. 
  • Lane Movement. Though millions of drivers safely change lanes every day, improper lane changes can be dangerous. For example, a driver who changes lanes without checking their blind spot can easily hit another car. 
  • Distracted Driving. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents. Distractions come in three forms: visual, manual, and cognitive.
    • Visual distractions take the driver’s eyes off the road. Reading a text or studying your GPS are examples. 
    • Manual distractions take the driver’s hands off the wheel. Tasks such as eating, drinking, grooming, or fiddling with car dials fit this category. 
    • Cognitive distractions divert a driver’s attention from the road to something else. A conversation with a passenger, a crying baby, or even a daydream can cause a driver to lose focus.  

Uncommon Causes of Car Accidents

Non-driver accident causes can be broken into two categories: those involving vehicles and those involving the environment. While less common, these accidents are no less dangerous. 

Factors related to vehicles 

A car cannot be driven safely if it is not in safe working order. 

Some vehicle issues happen during the manufacturing process. Others occur because the owner hasn’t taken their car in for needed repairs or maintenance. Either way, the danger is real. For example, a tire blowout that happens on a busy highway can cause a driver to lose control and crash into others. Other common vehicle safety issues include brake failure issues with the steering, transmission, or engine. 

Factors related to the environment 

Here, “environment” refers to the human-made components of the accident scene. For example, while drivers must drive carefully, the governments that create and operate the roads have a duty to keep them in drivable condition. Allowing a huge pothole or other danger to exist without warning people about it or repairing it places even careful drivers at risk. 

Poor road design can also lead to accidents. Examples of poor road design include: 

  • Blind curves, 
  • Sharp turns or curves, 
  • Narrow shoulders, 
  • Inadequate drainage, 
  • Poor lighting, 
  • Missing, malfunctioning, or obstructed signs or signals, 
  • Missing lane paint or markers, and 
  • Missing safety features such as guardrails or rumble strips.

Why the Cause of Your Car Accident Matters

Understanding how your car accident occurred is important for several reasons. 

Florida is a “no-fault” state. This doesn’t mean that fault is irrelevant. It simply means that all drivers, regardless of fault, must use their personal injury protection (“PIP”) policy first. However, PIP coverage has a $10,000 limit. Also, PIP doesn’t cover emotional harms like pain and suffering. If PIP is insufficient to cover your economic and emotional losses, you can sue to get the difference. In a lawsuit, you and your Fort Walton car accident lawyer will need to prove that the other driver caused your injuries. Understanding how the accident happened is a key part of that process. 

Also, how the accident happened can determine who will have to pay you damages. For example, if another driver hit you because they were texting, the crash was likely their fault. However, if they were driving carefully but hit you because a pothole caused them to slam into you, you might have a claim against the government for poor road maintenance. A Niceville car accident lawyer can help you figure out the best people and parties to include in your lawsuit. 

Finally, knowing the cause of your accident can help you defend yourself in an accident case. Florida uses a rule called comparative negligence. In this rule, people who are responsible for causing their own injuries can still recover damages in a lawsuit. However, the amount will be reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, if a jury awards you $10,000 but finds that you were 25 percent responsible for causing the accident, your damages will be reduced by 25 percent, leaving you with $7,500. 

Insurance companies want to avoid payouts at all costs. As such, they will try to argue that you contributed to the accident in some way. They may point out that you failed to stop. However, if you can show that you didn’t stop because a manufacturing defect caused your brakes to fail, you can disprove their claims. 

How to Find Out the Cause of Your Car Accident 

A thorough investigation is the most effective way to determine the cause of an accident. A Defuniak Springs car accident lawyer can investigate your crash for you. Your lawyer will interview witnesses, inspect your vehicle, hire experts, and more to make sure that you get the compensation you need after an accident. 

If you need legal help after an accident, contact Powell, Powell & Powell. Our firm has been helping injured people throughout the Emerald Coast for more than 50 years. Every case is our most important case. To learn more about how our Crestview personal injury lawyers can help you, call us at 850-682-2757 or use our online form to schedule a consultation.