The Four Crucial Factors Causing Car Accident Injuries You Need to Know.
With summer well and truly here we can’t help but look forward to the warmer weather, barbeques and some much needed time off.
But as is the case every year as we get ready to hang up the new calendar on our walls, road safety becomes an ever-pressing issue.
In the final two months of 2017 and first month of 2018, there were over 4000 reported car accidents across NSW alone.
This figure is way too high and in order to prevent road accidents this summer, it’s essential we’re familiar with the four crucial factors responsible for motor vehicle accidents.
Feeling tired? Do everyone a favour and take a break
Known as the silent killer, fatigue is a driving factor that can creep up on you, and sometimes before you realise it’s time to take a break, it can be too late.
According to the NSW Centre for Road Safety, fatigue accounts for approximately 11.5 percent of all serious car accidents that result in at least one person being hospitalised and accounts for 19 percent of all accidents that results in at least one fatality.
Fatigue is four times more likely to affect a driver and cause an accident during the hours of 10pm and 6am. So please ensure every two to three hours or if your eyelids are starting to get heavy, do everyone a favour and take a break!
The act of driving should never have to compete for your attention
Usually it’s a beneficial skill to be able to multitask but that certainly doesn’t apply when driving a motor vehicle. Using your mobile phone, doing your make up (using the mirror), and reaching for an object can all increase your likelihood of being involved in a motor vehicle accident by up to four, seven and five times respectively.
Perhaps more alarming is the fact that at 60km/hr, when you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds, you travel a whopping 33.3 metres blind. And at 80km/hr that figure jumps to 45 metres.
You may be interested in: the top 10 worst roads in NSW.
It may seem obvious but festive drinks and driving don’t mix
You may feel as though the message ‘Don’t drink and drive’ has been constantly and consistently delivered in all forms of media for as long as you can remember, but it’s a message that should never get old. Alcohol was directly responsible for just under 10 percent of all serious crashes in NSW in 2017 and accounted for just under 15 percent of all road fatalities.
Studies have shown that even one drink can impede reaction time behind the wheel, so counting your drinks is always a dangerous game to play. The only true way to know if you’re under the limit and safe to sit behind the wheel is to make the conscious decision not to drink if you intend to drive.
Speed still No.1!
It should come as no surprise that speeding is by far the number one cause of all accidents in NSW.
In 2017, speeding accounted for 24 percent of all serious accidents in NSW and a whopping 43 percent of all accidents that resulted in at least one fatality.
A breakdown of global crash data has shown that an increase of 1km/hour in vehicle speed results in a 3 percent increase in the risk of a motor vehicle accident.
So next time you think you’re harmlessly travelling 5km over the speed limit, just know, you’re 15 percent more likely to be involved in an accident.
Tanja Maksimovic
Managing Solicitor
An accredited specialist in personal injury law, backed by over 10 years’ experience in assisting injured Australians receive everything they’re entitled to with their motor accident claim.
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