If you consider yourself a safe and responsible driver, you might not think it’s helpful to know what the most common causes of crashes are in Arizona (or anywhere else).
However, by knowing what kind of dangerous behavior your fellow drivers may be engaged in on the roads, it can sometimes be easier to spot these drivers and get as far away from them as possible. Let’s look at the leading causes of car crashes in Arizona.
Speeding
Speeding is the most common cause of Arizona car accidents. The higher the speed, the more catastrophic the crash (and the injuries) will likely be.
It’s easy to inadvertently go faster than you realize when you’re on a little-traveled desert road or highway. However, speeding doesn’t just mean driving over the posted speed limit. It also includes driving faster than is safe based on the weather conditions, visibility and road conditions.
Distracted driving
This is the second most common cause of crashes in Arizona. Distracted driving doesn’t just mean talking or texting on a hand-held device, which are illegal in our state. Other common distractions include eating and drinking, talking with passengers (especially if it involves admonishing kids or dogs), reaching for something that has dropped and doing some last-minute grooming.
Failure to yield
People often don’t think about this one. However, many crashes could be prevented if a driver had stopped at a stop sign or any place, including crosswalks, where there might be someone else who has the right-of-way. That’s why even if you have the right-of-way and there are no stop signs or signals, it’s wise to look both ways before you enter an intersection to make sure no one is coming.
Driving under the influence
Of course, this is a leading cause of crashes. Drivers can be seriously impaired not just by alcohol and illegal drugs. Many prescription drugs and even over-the-counter medications can slow both physical responses and thinking, make people dizzy or sleepy or cause them to be agitated – none of which are good when you’re driving.
Impaired drivers are often the easiest for other drivers to spot because they often drive erratically or try to overcorrect for their condition (for example, if they know they’ve had too much to drink) and go too slow.
Unfortunately, we can’t always avoid these unsafe drivers. They can hit us or otherwise cause a crash before we’ve even seen them. That’s why it’s critical to identify at-fault drivers and determine what kind of behavior caused the collision to ensure that those who were injured as a result get fair and full compensation. Having experienced legal guidance helps.