Two Recent Indiana Crashes Remind of the Dangers of the Road |
Posted: October 8, 2014 |
The Indiana Gazette October 1st issue recalls two recent car accidents that took place in the state and that remind us once again of how dangerous a place our highways really can be. The first accident occurred on the night of September 20th on state-highway 553 when a driver lost control of her vehicle, skidded off the road, ran over a bush, broke through a fence, and then collided into a group of parked cars. The driver was injured and swiftly carried off to Indiana Regional Medical Center for care. Her injuries were not life-threatening, but her car and one of the parked cars were badly damaged. The second accident took place just this Monday. Two vehicles collided around noon at an intersection when one driver did not yield as she should have to oncoming traffic. Traffic accidents account for some two percent of annual deaths, injure tens of millions every year worldwide, are the leading cause of deaths of children in many nations, and are among the most common preventable causes of injury and death in the United States. Major Types of Traffic AccidentsAuto accidents can be classified into four major types: head-on, rear-end, side-to-side, and rollover accidents. Head-on collisions are frequently fatal, accounting for only two percent of accidents and yet for ten percent of highway deaths. Rear-ending may not be as often fatal, but serious injuries still occur along with property damage, often through reckless driving or inattention to the road. Side-swipes often occur when a car does not see another car in its blind spot and changes lanes or when a driver simply gets too close to another vehicle it is coasting next to, perhaps crossing the yellow line. Roll-overs have become a more common problem since SUVs and other vehicles with a relatively high gravity center became popular. If seat belts are not properly utilized, these accidents have a tripled fatality rate (from 25 percent to over 80 percent). Common Causes of Auto AccidentsThere are three major factors that can cause or contribute to an auto accident, many crashes stemming from a combination of these factors: human error, vehicle failure, and roadway design. Human error, whether of one driver or of both involved in an accident is the most common cause of collisions. Driving while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs, while distracted by cell phones, food, or other items, while exhausted from long stints at work, or simply without proper concern for other persons using the roadway are major sources of driver error. Vehicular failure while the automobile is in operation may occur due to negligence of the driver to properly maintain his or her vehicle, factory mistakes in car parts, dangerous auto design choices, or to the failure of businesses that operate a fleet of trucks to adhere to safety regulations. It is estimated that about one-third of all major car accidents occur in part due to road design or conditions. This does not eliminate a driver's responsibility to drive in a way appropriate to the weather and part of the road he is on (curve, hill, etc.), but some blame is assignable to poor road design and improvements to our highways take place all the time to reduce accident rates. Legal Implications of Auto AccidentsIf you have been involved in an auto accident and have sustained financial loss and suffered injury due to the actions of another driver, because of defective or ill-designed auto parts, or as a result of poor roadway design, it is your right to seek full compensation with the aid of an experienced auto accident attorney. Expert lawyers can assist you in ensuring you and your family are not left to bear alone a heavy burden cast upon you by the wrong or mistaken actions of others. As most states have a statute of limitations on injury claims (usually two years), it behooves you to act quickly before your right to seek compensation expires.
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