7 Most Common Causes of Road Accidents in Baton Rouge, LA

With a great number of vehicles running on road, accidents are bound to happen. An accident may happen for a reason drivers may simply be unprepared for.

Here're the 7 most common causes of road accidents in Baton Rouge, LA:

1.       DUI/DWI

In 2012 alone, there were approximately 848 DUI-related accidents. About 6 percent of these mishaps culminated in fatalities, while others resulted in serious injuries. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs becomes the cause of many preventable accidents.

2.       Speeding

Many drivers tend to exceed the prescribed speed limit, failing to realize this can be disastrous. Statistics reveal that speeding is a major reason behind all the accidents that happen.

Driving too fast in hazardous conditions such as fog often becomes the cause of a road disaster. Drivers become aware of a possible accident but taking evasive action is just not possible. Speeding also exacerbates the impact of an accident, resulting in severe injuries or even death. A car injury lawyer may advise you more on the ill-effects of over-speeding.

3.       Texting While Driving

Most of the states in the US, including Louisiana, have banned drivers from texting when they're driving. However, many drivers are still doing this, leading to accidents. Checking email or surfing social media while driving is an invitation to trouble.

4.       Reckless Driving

Reckless driving whose examples include tailgating and road rage may escalate and result in a devastating crash. In Louisiana, every year, hundreds of accidents are attributed to road rage.

Tailgating leaves insufficient time for a driver to react if the car moving ahead of them stops all of a sudden. Rear-end collision is a most common type of road accident. Road rage is indicative of violent reactions to even the minutest of incidents.

5.       Distractions

There can be several distractions for a driver on the road. It's up to them how they maintain their focus and not let their mind get diverted while they are behind the wheel. Experts consider cellphones and other handheld devices a major distraction for drivers who need to be fully attentive to their own actions as well as to what other drivers are doing.

6.       Fatigue/Drowsy Driving

Accidents may happen when someone is driving while they are fatigued or are feeling drowsy. Anyone driving in such a condition will have a diminished capacity to react, which may result in an accident.

7.       Overloading

In case of trucks, overloading/improper loading often becomes the reason for an accident. An overloaded truck requires more time to stop, leading to misjudgment by the driver. Brakes too may overheat and go soft faster. Chances of tire blowouts are more as well, leading to loss of control. If a cargo is improperly loaded, the truck might fall over while turning or swerving. For more information on how overloading results in accidents, you may have a discussion with a truck injury lawyer in Baton Rouge.

If you're one of those unfortunate people who has become a victim of a road accident because of any of the above reasons, hiring a personal injury attorney in Baton Rouge, LA will be the right thing to do.