According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6,756,000 auto accidents reported to the police in 2019, and 1,916,000 of these crashes caused injuries, and 33,244 led to deaths. Millions of drivers experience permanent injuries every year, and careful driving and obeying traffic laws could have prevented many of these collisions.
We May Not Handle Every Injury Claim in Florida, But We Sure Are Gonna Try
John Fagan is a well-known auto accident attorney who has recovered compensation for countless injured victims in Florida. He and his skilled team will build your case and ensure you receive the total amount you’re owed for the long-term impact of your injuries or the loss of a loved one.
1: Speeding
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, speeding is the number one cause of auto accidents in the United States, making up 16.6% of accidents with passenger cars in 2019. Whether you’re running late or just don’t care for the law and the safety of others, speeding puts everyone’s lives in danger.
Speeding increases your risk of an accident, especially in bad weather, in a construction zone, or driving through a dark area. It’s easy to lose control and more challenging to stop at the sight of danger.
An auto accident caused by speeding reduces the effectiveness of seatbelts and increases the chances of severe injury and death.
2: Impairment
Impaired driving caused 15.1% of auto accidents in 2019. Driving impaired often involves alcohol and drugs but driving while sleepy or seriously ill can also affect your cognitive abilities and motor function. In 2019, 9,478 people were killed in drunk driving crashes as alcohol and drugs impair your ability to think, reason, and coordinate muscle movement. The accident risk rises exponentially with your blood alcohol content (BAC).
Drowsy driving killed 697 people in 2019, but that number is believed to be much higher because it’s difficult to pin down all crashes involving fatigued drivers. The NHTSA estimates that 800 people died and 50,000 were injured due to drowsy driving in 2017.
3: Failure to Yield to Right of Way
The right of way is a rule every driver learns when they begin operating a vehicle. You are expected to yield to another car on your right in certain situations. If you reach an intersection at the same time as a vehicle on your right, they have the right of way and should proceed forward first. When pedestrians are present, they should always get the right of way.
Failure to yield to the right of way led to 8.4% of auto accidents in 2019.
4: Careless Driving
Careless or reckless driving can include several situations, such as aggressive driving. Whether it’s road rage or anger from an argument at home that fuels you to drive unsafely, aggressive driving is dangerous. Speeding, illegal lane changes, texting while driving, and excessive honking may also be considered careless driving.
Auto accidents involving careless driving caused 6.6% of crashes in the U.S. in 2019.
5: Distracted Driving
Driving distractions led to 6.3% of motor vehicle accidents in 2019. These collisions killed 3,142 people and involved any distraction that diverted the driver’s focus away from the road and their driving responsibilities.
In the time it takes you to read a text message (five seconds), you can travel the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour. While texting and phone use while driving is a top concern, distracted driving can include eating, drinking, conversing with passengers, or handling a car screen, stereo, or GPS navigation system.
Contact Our Auto Accident Lawyer in Ocala
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, our tough and honest accident lawyer is available to help. John Fagan has decades of experience and success in helping injured clients pursue their lawsuits and recover compensation for the harm caused by the crash.
Our practice is dedicated to helping accident victims. If you ever need help with a legal problem or just want information on this subject, you can always reach me at 777-JOHN.
We serve clients throughout Florida with our offices in Ocala, Keystone Heights, Palatka, Starke, Gainesville, and Middleburg and Orange Park.
