College Collision Center

The 4 Main Reasons for Car Accidents

At College Collision Center, we know full well what causes most car accidents and it's human error. Sure, sometimes bad weather like what we get in Fairbanks, AK can cause more accidents, but in most cases car accidents are caused by people for a wide range of reasons.

Here is our list of the top 4 main reasons why car accidents occur:

1.) Fatigue: Fatigue is #1 on our list and most experts  agree that it is the leading reason for car accidents on the road. It's often nearly impossible to keep your eyes open when you're tired and that is why a wide range of accidents occur between 11 pm and 7 am.

2.) Excessive Speed: If a driver is traveling between 70 to 100 mph, the chances of getting into a serious and possibly fatal car accident can nearly double. It just makes sense, because when drivers speed, their reaction time is greatly reduced. So, when they encounter a situation that requires a fast response, speeding makes it considerably harder to deal with. It is generally more difficult to operate  any car at an excessive speed and thereby the reaction of the driver has to be hastened to a great degree. The higher the speed the more dire are the potential consequences. On the other hand, if a driver can slow down and go with the flow of traffic, accidents will customarily be much less serious, such as fender benders and non-injury collisions.

3.) Recklessness: Traffic congestion stresses people out and some drivers lose their focus when dealing with it. In these cases, drivers will start tailgating, speeding and driving aggressively in general and that is when accidents often happen. Take deep breaths and concentrate on your driving instead of dwelling on what the other driver is doing.

4.)  Driving Experience: Driving is like anything else--if you want to get better at something, it requires practice, practice and more practice. Practice? Are we talking about practice right now? Yes. An experienced driver knows how to do the right things in order to avoid accidents, such as smooth steering, quick reactions in emergency scenarios, how to avoid tailgating and to never ever drive while distracted. These are the skills that can only be developed over time and with lots of practice.  If you are not an experienced driver, you need to pay more attention to the road until you build up your driving skills through practice.

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Sources: NHTSA, AARP and DMV.org