Road accidents are very common. In fact, some would often see them on a daily basis on the way to their school or office.
Traffic accidents can be classified as minor, serious or fatal. According to some statistics, almost 86% of road-related accidents are minor/slight, 13% are serious and only 1% are fatal. For purposes of this discussion, the focus would be on serious road traffic accidents. In this article, you will learn about what causes serious road traffic accidents, how to prevent them and many more.
Why serious traffic accidents happen
Do you ever wonder why serious traffic accidents happen? Here are some of the reasons:
- Vehicle defect — More often than not, serious car crashes are brought about by vehicle defects especially brake failure. In these cases, the driver does not have any control anymore so he cannot do anything to prevent any serious damage.
- Driver’s negligence — Another cause of serious traffic accident is the driver’s negligence. Some drivers would drive recklessly out of habit. They would violate traffic rules for fun and they simply do not care about their passengers. These are the type of drivers you should avoid.
- Congested traffic — People would often feel impatient when the traffic is congested. Because people are more irritable, their focus and thinking is hampered. As a result, people overtake at illegal spots, or they would do some tailgating. These habits often result to serious traffic accidents, not to mention serious traffic brawls (and fines too).
- Faulty road design — When people already know of the faulty design, they are more likely to be careful when passing it. The only problem lies when people who are not familiar with the road passes it, more so when they do it at night. This can definitely cause serious (and sometimes fatal) road accidents.
How to prevent serious traffic accidents
The good news is, accidents do not really happen beyond human control. In fact, there are things that you can do to prevent it from happening. Here are some tips:
- Ensure that your vehicle is at peak condition — Always make sure that your vehicle is roadworthy before you go on any travel. Check the brakes, wheels, and all other important parts so you will not have any problem later on when you’re already on board.
- Do not drive when you are drunk/extremely tired — Intoxication/ sleepiness make you out of control of yourself and eventually of your car. Do not drive when you’re drunk or when you’re feeling sleepy. If you have someone with you, have him drive instead (only if he’s not drunk / sleepy too).
- Get to know the road well — If you are travelling some place you are not familiar with, remember to make a research and familiarize yourself with faulty roads/ accident prone areas, if any, so you will be on guard in these places.
- Relax — Try to relax when you drive. Hot-headed and impatient drivers are accident prone because they are out of focus and impulsive. Just enjoy the drive and keep your focus all the time.
Follow traffic rules — Following this simple rule will already lower the risk of serious car accidents. Remember that preventing serious road accidents is why traffic rules exist in the first place.
