Motor vehicle accidents can be devastating. For victims of injurious crashes, concerns about “what happened?” and who may be held responsible will necessarily arise. Accurately determining the cause of an accident is crucial when bringing a personal injury claim and pursuing financial compensation for medical expenses, lost income and other costs resulting from the crash.
Following are some of the most common causes of motor vehicle collisions in Montana:
Distractions
Drivers must be able to focus their entire attention on their driving duties. While many assume that cellphones cause all distractions while driving, many other things can distract drivers. This includes everything that requires them to think about something other than driving, take their hands off the wheel or fail to look at the roadway. Having a deep conversation with someone, looking at a billboard or grabbing a bite of a burger are all examples of preventable distractions.
Fatigue
Fatigued driving is problematic because this condition slows reaction time and increases the possibility of microsleeps. A microsleep occurs when someone dozes off for a few seconds, which provides considerable opportunities for a crash to occur. Think about this: A vehicle that’s going 55 miles per hour will travel the length of a football field in only five seconds. Temporary measures, such as having coffee or turning up the stereo, aren’t valid fixes for fatigue because only sleep can genuinely reduce the impacts of fatigue.
Impairment
Impairment alters a person’s motor skills and cognitive abilities. This is problematic when driving because impaired drivers aren’t able to react properly to hazards that they encounter on the roadways. Alcohol, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and illegal drugs can all impair a driver’s abilities.
Aggression
Aggressive driving, including speeding, tailgating and failing to yield to a vehicle with the right of way can all lead to wrecks. Drivers must always remain calm and follow all applicable traffic laws.
If you have been involved in a crash, your focus should be on your health and family. Let an experienced personal injury lawyer handle the legal and insurance matters while you focus on your medical recovery.