New York Car Accident Lawyers
Explaining Leading Causes of Collisions

New York car accidents occur every day, and overall, more than 300,000 such incidents occur every year. While it seems that New York car accidents can occur at any time and in any place, a closer look at the statistics reveals that there are certain causes of accidents that are more common than others. While anyone who has been harmed in such an incident needs the help of experienced New York car accident lawyers, below you'll find some examples of the leading causes of New York car accidents.

Driver Inattention

Leading the way in terms of causes of New York car accidents in 2008 was driver inattention, which was cited as a factor in more than 45,000 collisions. Driver inattention is a bit of a catch-all term, as it can include situations where the driver was talking on a phone, sending or receiving text messages, eating, applying makeup or playing with the radio in the vehicle. Most would understand that even a one-second lapse in attention can lead to disaster.

Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way

Traffic laws in New York are relatively clear in regards to which driver has the right-of-way in certain situations. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that everyone understands these laws or adheres to them. As a result, the failure by a driver to yield the right-of-way was the second leading cause of New York car accidents in 2008, as it was listed as a factor in more than 36,000 collisions.

Following Too Closely

Tailgating is illegal in almost every jurisdiction, and the reason why is because it leads to a high number of accidents. In 2008, this problem led to approximately 36,000 accidents, as not providing enough space between vehicles reduces the amount of time available to avoid potential problems and it tends to make the person who is being followed nervous.

Speeding

Everyone who has ever driven a vehicle has exceeded the posted speed limit from time to time. While it seems that such a minor offense is not a problem most of the time, the statistics from 2008 regarding New York car accidents reveal that more than 31,000 crashes were the result of at least one driver moving too fast for the conditions.

Disregarding a Traffic Control

Running through traffic lights and signs was the fifth-leading cause of New York car accidents in 2008, as this mistake caused over 10,000 collisions. When drivers decide not to follow these directions, it surprises other drivers, which means that they are not prepared to take defensive measures.

Overall, almost anything can lead to an accident, but if you or someone you love has been harmed on the roads, contact the New York car accident lawyers at Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.