With over 33 million cars on UK roads today, road accidents are becoming more and more common. With over 24,000 injured or killed in car accidents every year, taking care on the road has never been more important. From distractions while driving, to improper care or maintenance of your vehicle, the causes of car accidents are often avoidable and while you can’t act on behalf of other drivers, we’ve put together some of the top causes of road accidents so you can be more aware of what to look out for on the road.

Distractions And Tiredness

Distractions happen and if you’ve been driving for a long period of time or are driving tired, you’re more likely to miss what’s happening on the road around you. The use of phones, eating, smoking, drinking or even singing along to the radio can be enough of a distraction to reduce your reaction time or even make you miss a potential hazard completely. Take using your phone for example – this distraction not only mentally distracts you by bringing your attention onto your device, but it also requires your physical attention, leaving one hand to control the car, and your visual attention, meaning your eyes aren’t on the road. If a vehicle ahead of you slows down or a hazard enters the road such as a child or animal, you may not have the reaction time needed to avoid a collision. Put your phone on silent, avoid eating or drinking while driving and make sure you keep your attention on the road through the entire drive.

Reckless Driving

When it comes to driving carefully, it involves more than just sticking to the speed limits and checking your mirrors regularly. In fact, reckless driving can be something as simple as changing lanes too quickly or without proper warning to drivers around you on the road. Driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you can also be considered reckless, as you may not have the reaction time or distance needed to stop in the case of an emergency.

Speeding, however, is one of the biggest causes of accidents. Speed limits are put in place and calculated according to the road and area, meaning that they are most definitely there for a reason. Drivers that break speed limits risk shorter reaction times or even losing control of their vehicles, particularly in adverse weather conditions. With around 400 people killed per year in speed-related accidents, it’s one of the biggest contributors to vehicle accidents in the UK.

Vehicle Faults

While breakdowns aren’t always avoidable, vehicle faults can play a huge part in car crashes. Problems with the clutch, brake wear, engine issues, DPF filters, leaking pipes and even faulty windscreen wipers can lead to loss of control of the vehicle, low visibility or danger on the road, which heightens the potential of crashes or collisions that could’ve been avoided. If you think there may be something wrong with your vehicle, it’s important to get it checked and repaired as soon as possible to avoid problems on the road later on. Even just breaking down in the middle of a lane can put you and your fellow drivers in danger, so it’s best to keep on top of your vehicle maintenance to avoid this as much as possible.

Bad Judgement

Bad judgement on the road is easily one of the most dangerous causes of accidents, and for good reason. While misjudging the speed of another car when trying to exit a junction or roundabout often doesn’t end in a crash, the potential is there and at higher speeds, can lead to bad accidents and injuries. Judgement and anticipation are basic skills required for driving but should always be exercised with a level of care and constraint. While you may think you can make it across a junction or pull out of a road fast enough for the car approaching, it’s always best to make sure that the road is as clear as possible and that the other driver has no need to put their foot on the brake. Simply put – don’t take chances.

Drunk Driving

Over 600 people in the UK are killed in drink driving accidents every year, and not all of these people were in cars themselves. A further 3,500 people a year are injured in similar incidents. The law is very clear on drink driving and it should be avoided in every circumstance. Driving while over the limit can result in a ban from driving, a fine, imprisonment and a criminal record, all of which can be adjusted depending on the damage caused in the incident. If you’re driving sober on the road, however, and believe that another car may be being driven by a drunk driver, it’s always best to give plenty of room to avoid getting involved in a collision. Where possible, pull over and contact the police with details, but do not attempt to overtake the drunk driver. If you are in front of them, safely pull over or turn off of the road so the car can pass.

If you’ve been involved in a collision and your car is in need of repair, or you’re looking to have your vehicle checked to ensure it’s safe to drive, feel free to get in touch with a member of our team.