Whatever industry you work in, your company will have risk assessments in place. Managing risk is essential for any business, whether a financial one from a competitor or the risk of injury on a construction site. Yet, it is hardly ever discussed when it comes to driving, which is strange considering that most Americans spend a lot of time in their cars.
An insurance company commissioned research into the top causes of car accidents. While they use the information to calculate premiums, you can use it to help stay safe. These are the most common reasons vehicle crashes happen:
- Distracted driving: Ever since cellphones got smarter, the number of accidents caused by drivers looking at their phones has risen. Many other things can absorb a driver’s attention, but phones are the most significant problem.
- Alcohol: Despite years of campaigns advising on the dangers, people still believe they can safely drink and drive.
- Speeding: Speed in itself is not the problem: The issue is that the faster you are going, the longer it takes you to stop or avoid something.
- Reckless driving: Whether someone never learned to drive well or is suffering from a bout of road rage, sitting behind the wheel of a tonne of steel requires caution.
- Bad weather: Road surfaces and visibility can change rapidly in poor weather. Reduce your speed to cope with this.
- Running a red light: When a red light shows, people expect drivers to stop. The light tells people traveling in the other direction that it is safe to proceed, even if it is not because someone has failed to stop.
- Driving at night: The darkness makes it harder to see and be seen. It can also induce tiredness.
Understanding the risks allows you to take preventative action. However, you can never altogether remove the risk of being injured in a car crash due to another driver’s actions.