Data from the Department for Transport reveals there were 39.2 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain as of September 2021. With so many cars, vans, lorries, buses, and bikes traveling up and down the country on a daily basis, it’s a sad inevitability that accidents will happen.
And the statistics bear that out. In the year ending June 2021, there were 119,850 casualties of all severities on British roads, including an estimated 1,390 fatalities. If you’ve been hurt in a traffic collision that wasn’t your fault, you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim, but it’s vital that we all look out for each other whenever we get behind the wheel or the handlebars.
Simply being aware of the major causes of accidents can help. Here are four of the most common.
Speeding
We’ve all been there-you’re running late and you’re in a rush, so you press a touch heavily with your right foot. Often, you can speed without even realizing it, but ignorance is never an excuse – especially if it causes an accident. Speeding increases your stopping distance and makes it more difficult to control your vehicle, so try and stick to the limits wherever you can. They’re there for a reason, after all.
Distraction
You might think that taking your eyes off the road to change the radio station or glance down at your phone won’t make any difference. But even that momentary lapse in concentration can have catastrophic effects, so try and retain your full focus on what’s in front of you at all times. And if you have any passengers who are proving a distraction, don’t be afraid to tell them to cut it out.
Tiredness
At the end of a long day, it can feel comforting to get into a nice leather seat and turn the heaters up to make you feel warm and cosy. However, this can induce drowsiness and all it takes is for your eyes to close for a fraction of a second – in which time an accident can happen. So, if you’re starting to feel sleepy, don’t try and power through. Simply pull over to a safe place and rest your eyes until you are suitably refreshed.
Conditions
Rain, ice, snow and fog can play havoc with the way you drive, making it much more difficult to control your vehicle. If the weather is particularly bad, it’s always recommended not to travel unless you absolutely have to. But if you’re already on the road and the inclement conditions close in, you should take the sensible decision to pull over until it calms. If that’s not possible, slow right down so as to reduce the risk of an accident.
