If you live and work in Mobile or the Gulf Coast area, there is a good chance you commute in an automobile.

There is also a good chance you have been involved in a car accident, or you most likely know people who have been in an accident. One of the most dangerous things you do every day is driving a car. In almost all cases, car accidents are the result of human error. Distracted driving, inexperienced driving, or even overconfidence in one’s driving abilities resulting in mistakes are a large portion of causes of car accidents.

Statistics

Each year, approximately 40,000 people die in car accidents in the United States, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Car accidents are also the leading cause of death in individuals from birth to 34 years old. The most dangerous day for car accidents is Saturday, while the most dangerous month is August. Nighttime travel is especially dangerous when compared to daytime driving. For each mile driven at night, the chance of a fatal accident increases by 300% compared to driving during the day, and 54% of those accidents at night involve alcohol.

Types of Car Accidents

Rear End Accidents

When one car collides into the back of another car it is considered a rear-end accident. According to NHTSA, 29% of all accidents are rear-end collisions. These types of accidents are primarily caused by distracted driving, including drivers who are texting, eating, and grooming. About 64% of these accidents are caused by drivers who were not even looking at the road at the time of the collision.

Hydroplaning

The Mobile, Alabama area is known as one of the rainiest cities in America. Driving through standing water can cause cars to hydroplane. Tires are designed to push water out of the way so that they can make direct contact with the road to maintain traction. If the car is driving so fast that the tires are not able to push the water out of the way quickly enough, then a thin layer of water will come between the tires and the road. The result is hydroplaning which can very easily cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash.

A simple solution to avoid hydroplaning is to drive more slowly after a rain. This will give your tires ample time to push the water out of the way so that you can maintain traction and control of the vehicle. Another simple step you can take to prevent hydroplaning is to check your tire tread regularly to make sure there is enough tread available for wet driving conditions. In the event your vehicle does begin to hydroplane, apply steady pressure to the brakes so that the car can decelerate slowly. Slamming on the brakes will cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

Collisions with animals

Alabama is full of rural areas with a prevalent deer & wildlife population. Many animals come out of their habitats to graze and forage from dusk until dawn, so the risk of hitting an animal with a vehicle increases during the nighttime.

You may know someone who has hit an animal in Alabama, such as a deer, and if so, you know that hitting a large animal can cause serious damage to automobiles and sometimes even persons inside the car.

Take extra caution when driving in rural areas and at night by following the speed limit (to ensure you have enough time to stop if an animal jumps in front of your vehicle) and using high beams (to scan the side of the road more easily and to see an animal entering the roadway earlier).

Side-impact collisions

Side-impact crashes are known as “T-bone” collisions. 27% of all passenger vehicle deaths in the US are side-impact collisions. This type of crashes occur most often in intersections when one driver fails to yield to another car with the right-of-way and crashes into the side of the car.

Avoid side-impact crashes by looking both ways for oncoming vehicles when you have the right-of-way. Also, ensure you come to a complete stop at stop signs and traffic lights.

You may have a claim if you have been involved in a car accident and sustained injuries. Call our experienced car wreck attorneys in Mobile today for a FREE consultation to discuss your case if you suspect another driver was at fault for your car accident. You deserve to recoup damages you sustained in the car accident. We can be reached at 251-433-1000, by clicking the Live Chat link on our website, or stopping by our office at 509 Church Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602!