Although road traffic accidents have been present since the earliest days of motoring, they have increased with alarming predictability through time. It seems that we should be able to impose rules and procedures on this man-made activity, decreasing the road mayhem. Why has this not happened? Classification of accidents’ causes shows some frequently recurring triggering events. It is clear that many drivers will not slow down despite major safety campaigns to promote this outcome. Driver inattention is another frequent cause as well as many kinds of driver impairment. The climate cannot be controlled to make driving safer, but something must be done to stop the bullying on the highways known as road rage.
If you have ever been the target of a road raging driver, you will agree that it does happen on our highways. These emotionally explosive individuals cause traffic chaos and then tear off at high speeds to do it again, further up the road. Zero tolerance must apply to this crime of selfishness. We should report it every time we see it. There is no better way to stop the offending drivers from feeling that they have a special right to reduce other drivers to shuddering wrecks. As long as no one reports them, they will not change their obnoxious behavior.
Some drivers seem to see themselves as participants in the Indy Five Hundred as they rush to their destinations. Their speeds are totally inappropriate to their location, and they feel no need to signal their intentions or consider the reaction times of other drivers. No wonder speeding is frequently cited as the cause of accidents. Heavier fines and driving suspensions would slow them down.
Drivers used to be distracted by the frequent malfunctioning of the mechanical parts of their cars. Today we are distracted by all the high tech devices that are with us constantly, even in our vehicles. But whatever the distraction, the results are the same. We fail to give our full attention to the road at our own peril and that of our fellow travelers.
There are two more circumstances which continue to appear on accident reports. One of these is preventable. When a driver is impaired by chemical substances, he should not climb into the driver’s seat at all. This simple rule could save many lives and prevent the heartache that comes from the inexcusable accidents occurring due to impairment.
As kids, we were always hoping for weather bad enough to close the highways so that we could skip school. As adults we should assess each bad weather day to see if we would perhaps be wiser not to travel. If traveling is mandatory, we must adjust our driving habits to suit road conditions.
Clearly, most road traffic accidents are preventable. All it would take is a sincere commitment on the part of all drivers to change their driving habits. That is all it would take. However, so far, this kind of thinking does not appear to be catching on with the drivers we see tearing down our highways.
Jo Wilson is an expert in accident claims. If you would like more information about road traffic accidents compensation or are searching for a reputable law firm please visit http://personalinjury.ffw.com
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