Picture yourself driving on a highway. The wind is blowing through your hair and your favorite song is playing. Suddenly, the car in the lane next to you doesn’t look in their blind spot and tries to switch lanes. You beep your horn and slow down to try and avoid the collision. Luckily, the other car heard you and got back into their lane, and you continue driving safely. Unfortunately, not every scenario turns out like this one.
As of 2017, the Kentucky State Police reported 556 highway fatalities of all the car wrecks in Kentucky. Car accidents are all too common and can cause heavy emotional and physical trauma. You might feel confused or lost in the aftermath of a car accident, wondering how and why this happened. What you’re feeling is completely normal and understandable.
The Flora Templeton Stuart Injury Accident Lawyer is here to help you. We understand how draining this process can be and we can offer support and guidance through this hard time. Give us a call today at (888) 782-9090 and discuss your case with an experienced Kentucky car accident lawyer, or you can contact us online.
What Are the Top 10 Causes of Car Wrecks in Kentucky?
Collision with a moving vehicle ranked first in the types of collisions in 2016 with 91,929 collisions. Three factors contribute to car wrecks: Human, vehicle, and environmental, but human factors are the main reason for wrecks.
- Inattention and Distracted Drivers. The Kentucky State Police Traffic Collision Facts 2016 Report lists 54,840 collisions due to driver inattention. Taking your eyes off the road, letting go of the steering wheel, and not thinking about driving all contribute to distracting you from driving safely. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet warns that young drivers struggle with inattention and distractions like talking to other people in the car, using their cell phones, or changing music. In 2014, young drivers were in 23,679 crashes.
- Lack of Driving Experience. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says that new drivers are susceptible to accidents because of their inexperience. New drivers might misjudge another car’s speed, drive too quickly in inclement weather, not have complete control of the car or overcorrect a turn.
- Impairment. Drugs, alcohol, and medication all reduce your driving skills. You react more slowly, can’t see as well, but you might feel like you’re in control. Your false sense of thinking you’re okay to drive might lead to poor and risky decisions. The Kentucky State Police reported 4,243 alcohol-related collisions.
- Not Using a Seatbelt. When you don’t where a seatbelt, you’re putting yourself at risk for injury or death. In high-speed collisions, a seatbelt might be the only thing keeping you in the car and not ejecting through the windshield. 95 people had fatal injuries from ejection.
- Speeding. 1,460 collisions occurred because drivers weren’t obeying the speed limit. With young drivers, it’s likely that they will combine risky driving behaviors like speeding and driving aggressively without a seatbelt.
- Brake Failure. While human factors make up most of the causes of car wrecks, there are some things we can’t control. Defective breaks contributed to 1,870 collisions.
- Tire Failure. A tire blowout can be terrifying and difficult to manage if you’re driving at high speeds. Tire failure caused 1,054 collisions.
- Bad Road Conditions. Environmental factors like the weather cause car accidents, too. Rain, snow, and ice all make the road slippery and tricky to handle. Slippery roads led to 12,412 collisions.
- Animals. Sometimes, animals run out in front of cars. Animals caused 6,515 collisions. While there are not many ways to control this situation, look carefully for animal crossing signs on roads.
