Some car crashes are truly unavoidable, but many of the most common causes of car accidents stem from the choices and actions of a driver. These incidents are often preventable and happen when one driver fails to operate their vehicle with the care required to keep others on the road safe.
When a negligent driver causes an accident, the law provides a path for those who were harmed to hold the at-fault party accountable. Speaking with a car accident lawyer can help injured individuals understand whether they may be entitled to financial compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and the personal impact of their injuries, providing crucial support on their road to recovery.
Key Takeaways about Causes of Car Accidents
- Driver error, including distraction, impairment, and fatigue, is a leading factor in motor vehicle collisions across Texas.
- Speeding and other forms of aggressive driving significantly reduce a driver’s reaction time and increase the force of impact, often leading to more serious injuries.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains a serious and entirely preventable cause of crashes that have devastating consequences.
- While external factors like weather and road hazards can play a role, a driver’s failure to adjust to these conditions is often a key element in a crash.
- Determining the precise cause of a car accident is fundamental to establishing accountability for any resulting injuries and damages.
Understanding Driver Negligence in Texas
Before diving into the specific causes, it’s helpful to understand a key legal concept: negligence. In simple terms, negligence is when a person fails to use reasonable care, and that failure results in harm to someone else. Most car accident claims are built on the idea that one driver was negligent.
For example, every driver on the road has a duty to pay attention, follow traffic laws, and operate their vehicle safely. When a driver texts behind the wheel or speeds through a red light near Arlington’s Entertainment District, they are breaching that duty. If that action causes a crash that injures you, they can be held responsible for the harm they caused. The common causes we will discuss are all examples of negligent behavior.
Distracted Driving: A Modern Epidemic on the Road
Anything that pulls a driver’s attention away from the road is a distraction. In our connected world, the number of potential distractions has grown significantly, making this one of the most frequent causes of car accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies three main types of distraction:
- Visual: Taking your eyes off the road.
- Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel.
- Cognitive: Taking your mind off of driving.
Texting is particularly dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction at once.
Texting and Driving
Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. In Texas, it is illegal to read, write, or send an electronic message from a portable wireless device while operating a motor vehicle.
This law was created to prevent the thousands of injuries and deaths caused by this dangerous behavior each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives in a single recent year.
Other Common Distractions
While cell phones get most of the attention, many other behaviors can divert a driver’s focus and lead to a serious crash. It is important to recognize that even a momentary lapse in concentration can have significant repercussions.
Some other frequent distractions include:
- Using a GPS or in-dash navigation system
- Eating, drinking, or smoking
- Talking to passengers in the vehicle
- Adjusting the radio, podcast, or climate controls
- Reaching for an object that has fallen
- Personal grooming, such as applying makeup
Any of these seemingly harmless actions can be enough to cause a driver to miss a stopped vehicle, a changing traffic light, or a pedestrian entering a crosswalk.
The Dangers of Driving Under the Influence
Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs continues to be a major cause of serious and fatal car accidents in Tarrant County and across the state. These substances drastically affect the skills needed for safe driving, including judgment, coordination, concentration, and reaction time.
A driver under the influence is more likely to speed, make poor decisions, and even fall asleep at the wheel. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that in one year alone, there were over 12,000 DUI-alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the U.S. This shows just how destructive the choice to drive after drinking can be.
It’s also important to remember that impairment isn’t limited to alcohol or illegal drugs. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness and other side effects that make driving unsafe. It is every driver’s responsibility to understand how their medications may affect their ability to drive before getting behind the wheel.
Speeding and Aggressive Driving Behaviors
Many drivers see speed limits as suggestions rather than firm rules. However, speed limits are set for a reason—to allow drivers enough time to react to unexpected hazards. Speeding is a primary factor in a large number of car accidents for several critical reasons:
- It reduces the driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway.
- It extends the distance needed to stop the vehicle once the driver perceives a danger.
- It increases the severity of a crash once it occurs, leading to more serious injuries.
Driving too fast for conditions is also a form of speeding. A driver might be going below the posted limit, but if it’s raining heavily on I-30 or there’s dense fog, that speed could still be dangerously fast.
What Constitutes Aggressive Driving?
Speeding is often a component of a larger pattern known as aggressive driving. This is when an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property. It’s more than just being impatient; it’s a form of recklessness.
Common examples of aggressive driving include:
- Tailgating, or following another vehicle too closely
- Making improper or erratic lane changes without signaling
- Illegally driving on the shoulder or in a ditch
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Running red lights or stop signs on purpose
These dangerous maneuvers put everyone on the road at risk and are a significant cause of preventable collisions.
Driver Fatigue: The Hidden Hazard
Drowsy driving is a danger that doesn’t receive as much attention as drunk or distracted driving, but it can be just as deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that being awake for 17 hours can produce impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%. Being awake for 24 hours is similar to having a BAC of 0.10%, which is above the legal limit in Texas.
A fatigued driver suffers from slowed reaction times, reduced vigilance, and impaired judgment. In severe cases, a driver can experience “microsleeps”—brief periods of sleep that can last for a few seconds. That’s more than enough time for a car to drift into another lane or off the road entirely. Commercial truck drivers, new parents, and people who work long or irregular hours are particularly at risk of causing fatigue-related accidents.
Environmental and Road-Related Factors
Not all car accidents are caused solely by driver error. Sometimes, conditions on the road or the weather can contribute to a crash. However, even in these situations, a driver has a responsibility to adjust their driving to match the conditions. A failure to do so can still be considered negligence.
Weather Conditions
North Texas is no stranger to unpredictable weather. Heavy rain can lead to hydroplaning and reduced visibility, while sudden ice storms can make roads treacherous. Drivers must slow down, increase their following distance, and use extra caution in poor weather. When they fail to take these simple precautions, they can easily cause a preventable accident.
Road Hazards
The state of the road itself can also be a factor. While public entities are responsible for maintaining safe roadways, drivers must still be vigilant. Common road hazards include:
- Large potholes or cracks in the pavement
- Debris in the road, such as tire remnants or fallen cargo
- Poorly marked lanes or construction zones
- Malfunctioning traffic signals
If a crash is caused by a road hazard, determining responsibility can be more complex, but it often comes back to whether a driver was paying sufficient attention to their surroundings.
What to Do After You’re Home from an Accident
The period after a car accident is crucial for both your physical recovery and protecting your rights. Once you have received medical attention and are back home, your focus should be on healing. At the same time, there are several steps you can take to document what happened and lay the groundwork for a potential personal injury claim.
- Follow All Medical Advice: Attend all follow-up appointments with your doctors and follow their treatment plans exactly. This is vital for your health and creates a clear record of your injuries.
- Keep Detailed Records: Create a file to store everything related to the accident. This includes medical bills, car repair estimates, receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, and records of any wages you lost from being unable to work.
- Be Cautious with Insurance Companies: You will likely receive a call from the other driver’s insurance adjuster. It is wise to be careful in these conversations, as your words can be used to diminish your claim later.
- Stay off Social Media: Avoid posting details, photos, or opinions about the accident or your injuries online. Insurance companies often review social media profiles to find information they can use against you.
Taking these steps can help you stay organized and protect your ability to seek fair compensation for the damages you have suffered.
Car Accidents Causes FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about what causes car accidents and how liability is determined.
Texas follows a “modified comparative fault” rule. This means you can still recover damages as long as you are not found to be 51% or more responsible for the accident. Your recovery amount would be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found 20% at fault, you could still recover 80% of your total damages.
In Texas, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. This is a strict deadline, and if you miss it, you will likely lose your right to seek compensation through the court system. It is important to act promptly to protect your legal options.
If the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages, you may be able to file a claim through your own insurance policy. This depends on whether you carry Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, which is highly recommended for all Texas drivers.
It is very rare, but a passenger could potentially be held partially responsible if their actions directly caused the driver to lose control. For instance, if a passenger grabbed the steering wheel or intentionally blocked the driver’s view, they could share in the liability for a resulting crash.
While a police report is a very important piece of evidence, it is not the final word on who caused an accident. The officer’s opinion is valuable, but insurance companies and attorneys will conduct their own investigations. Eyewitness statements, photos of the scene, and expert analysis can all be used to establish the true cause.
Contact a Dedicated Personal Injury Attorney
When another person’s poor decisions on the road leave you injured and facing financial difficulties, you have the right to seek justice. The compassionate personal injury attorneys at Branch & Dhillon, P.C. are committed to helping accident survivors in Arlington and Tarrant County.
We focus our practice on personal injury cases, allowing us to provide focused and knowledgeable representation to every client. We handle the legal process so you can concentrate on what matters most: your health and recovery. Because we work on a contingency fee basis, you won’t pay any attorney’s fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
Contact Branch & Dhillon, P.C. today at (817) 533-3430 or through our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case.