What causes most car accidents?

On Behalf of | Jan 21, 2025 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Most of the time, when two vehicles are involved in an accident, the reason for the crash is simple: One of the drivers made a mistake. Reports often find that human error is the main reason for motor vehicle crashes. 

Interestingly, this is true even though vehicles themselves are becoming safer. Some safety systems are designed to help people if a crash occurs, such as airbags or seatbelts. Other systems, like blind spot monitoring sensors, are designed to reduce the odds of accidents in the first place. Yet, despite these advancements, car crashes continue to happen due to human error. Even technology can’t save drivers from their own mistakes. 

A wide variety of mistakes

One reason human error is such a significant issue is that it can take many different forms. Some drivers get distracted by their cellphones. Others daydream behind the wheel. Still others try to eat breakfast on the way to work, drink a cup of coffee or even check their email messages.

Additionally, many drivers simply make mistakes when it comes to the rules of the road. For example, a driver may mistakenly believe that an intersection is a four-way stop when it’s actually a two-way stop. This could lead to them cutting off a driver on the crossroad and causing a T-bone accident. They may not have been distracted or impaired—they just made the wrong judgment call.

Seeking compensation

Because people cause so many car accidents, there is always a risk that you could be injured by another driver. If you are, take the time to carefully look into your legal options to seek compensation.