There are many factors which contribute to a road accident, and every incident is different. While it's true that there is rarely a single cause of an accident, some issues are a lot more common than others.
Statistics from the Department for Transport showed that, in 2019, "failure to look" was recorded as a contributing factor in more than one third of all reported accidents and a quarter of all fatal road traffic accidents.
Other causes include drivers exceeding the speed limit and drivers travelling too fast for the weather conditions, which were contributory factors in 15 percent and 9 percent of fatal accidents respectively. Weather conditions can often make driving far more dangerous, with a slippery road playing a part in 5,576 of all reported accidents in 2019.
Key causes of road accidents?
Learner Drivers in Car accidents
Learning to drive is a practical experience: there is no way to do it other than to get on the road and drive.
Unfortunately, some learner drivers can be a potential hazard, both to themselves and other drivers. This is not only because many learner drivers are yet to learn the skills that will make them safe and reliable road users, it is also because other drivers on the road may become impatient and not give them the space and tolerance they require. Plus, when a driver gets too close to a learner driver this can lead to accidents as a result of the learner's sometimes unexpected actions, such as stalling or failure to move off when the following driver may expect it.
It is therefore important for learner drivers to remain calm and not allow others to distract them. However, experienced drivers must also share in this responsibility and should try to be understanding and patient in order to reduce the risk of a car accident occurring.
Geographical and Environmental Factors in Car Accidents
There are more fatal accidents on rural roads than on urban ones, although more road accidents occur in urban areas than in the country.
According to safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), this is because drivers tend to think that rural roads are safer because they are quieter, forgetting the many unseen hazards that muddy, windy and narrow rural roads can present.
The same organisation reports that in 2014 there were 982 fatal accidents on rural roads compared to 591 on urban roads.
Urban roads give rise to a greater number of serious and minor personal injuries; in 2014 there were 94,701 serious and minor injuries sustained on the UK’s urban roads, compared to 44,418 on its rural roads.
Speed limits on rural roads are also higher than in most urban areas, meaning that crashes are likely to take place at a higher speed and are therefore more likely to result in serious and fatal injury.
Other common causes of car accidents on rural roads include failure to look (34% of fatal crashes), loss of control (38% of fatal crashes) and travelling too fast for the conditions (14% of fatal accidents).
Environmental and Geographical Factors that may also increase the risk of having an accident include:
- Unmanaged accident blackspots
- Poor road planning
- Potholes and poor road conditions
Geographical factors such as these are often important in road traffic accidents in Scotland, because so much of Scotland, particularly the Highlands, is still reliant on minor – often single-track – roads, or on roads that are too winding to have good visibility when overtaking.
Black Spots in Car Accidents
In Scotland there are certain roads and locations which account for a higher than average number of road accidents. These are called accident blackspots and they often occur because of factors such as:
- Hidden or poorly signposted junctions on fast roads and dual carriageways
- Hidden dips in the road, which can conceal an oncoming car
- Unexpectedly sharp bends on a fast road
- Poorly signposted crossroads
Some of the most notorious road accident blackspots in Scotland can be found on the A9, which runs from Perth to Inverness, and on the A92, from Dunfermline to Stonehaven.
When assessing pedestrian accidents, a 98-square mile pedestrian accident blackspot, running from the edge of Glasgow, through parts of Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire, accounted for one third of all the pedestrians killed in Scotland in 2012, according to the Evening Times.
Furthermore, a 2015 study, Glasgow's Cycle and Pedestrian Accident Blackspots, revealed that common cycling and pedestrian accident locations are usually concentrated on and around arterial roads that serve the city centre. Problems are compounded where there are also a high density of retail business, on-street parking, frequent junctions and only limited cycle-friendly infrastructure.
Statistics from Transport Scotland for 2014 reveal the following:
- There were 56 pedestrian road deaths
- There were eight cyclist deaths
- There were 1,739 pedestrian casualties
- There were 885 cyclist casualties
Weather Factors in Car Accidents
Severe winter weather causes very dangerous road conditions and greatly increases the risk of road traffic accidents. Weather conditions such as heavy rain, fog, snow, sleet and blizzards can reduce visibility and ice on the road can create a very dangerous road surface.
Although most drivers will reduce their speed in these conditions and be considerate to other drivers, there will be a few drivers who do not adjust their speed and stopping distances for the road conditions. If another driver behaves in this way and they are involved in a road traffic accident, they may be held to have been driving recklessly or negligently and, if the driver of the other car has sustained an injury they could find themselves liable in a compensation claim.
Alcohol and Drug Factors in Car Accidents
Statistically, alcohol and drugs are significant factors in road traffic accidents. According to official figures, around 270 people were killed in drink drive accidents on British roads in 2014 – accounting for around 16% of all road deaths. However, the total number of casualties was far greater; 8,220 people were injured, with 1,080 of these classified as "serious".
In surveys, one in eight drivers have admitted to driving while they thought they were over the limit.
It is a criminal offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink. If you are found guilty, you could be sent to prison, fined and banned from driving.
The same penalties apply to the criminal offence of driving while impaired due to drugs, and to a new offence that recently came into force. This is the offence of driving, attempting to drive or being in charge of a motor vehicle with a specified controlled drug in the body above the level specified for that drug.
Mobile Phones in Car Accidents
It is illegal to ride a motorbike or drive while using a handheld mobile phone or similar device.
If you are caught, you face an automatic fixed penalty notice, a fine of £200 and six penalty points on your licence.
The rules were originally brought in to try to reduce the number of car accidents caused by drivers using hand-held mobile phones while behind the wheel. However, it is still not unusual to see drivers making phone calls or texting while driving; in fact, it is alarmingly common.
Drivers may feel that using a handheld mobile phone does not impair their driving because they are still able to see the road. However, there is evidence to show that the use of mobile phones while driving reduces reaction times and impairs the driver's awareness of other traffic. Some studies have even indicated that driving while using a phone is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), using a phone while driving has the following effects on drivers:
- Reduces awareness of the road and road traffic conditions
- Reduces awareness of road signs
- Reduces the ability to maintain proper lane position and steady speed
- Increases the likelihood of "tailgating"
- Reduces reaction times and increases stopping distance
- Reduces the quality of decision making
- Increases stress and frustration
Although the ban does not apply to the use of hands-free kits whilst driving, they can still be the cause of road traffic accidents. The courts have taken the view that drivers can be prosecuted if they are driving dangerously due to the use of a hands-free kit. This type of car accident is not viewed lightly and judges have imposed prison sentences for motorists who caused serious and fatal motor accidents while making a call even if a hands free kit was used – such decisions are at their discretion so it is best to avoid the use of hands-free kits at all.
RoSPA believes that the ban on mobile phone use while driving should extend to hands-free kits.
Contact Thompsons today
Suffering an injury in a car accident can be a very emotional and distressing time for you and your family, but speaking to a specialist personal injury lawyer will hopefully help settle some of your worries. Thompsons can help make sure you receive the right amount of recompense for your injuries.
If you would like to find out more, give our No Win No Fee lawyers a call today.
We are happy to discuss your options and help you take your first steps towards receiving compensation.
