It is no secret that driving or riding in a vehicle is a dangerous activity. However, it is something most people do every single day. For the majority of people in Tennessee, driving or riding in a vehicle is a necessary activity because they need to commute to work, take the children to and from school, visit the doctor’s office, go grocery shopping or do other things they must do. What this means is there is a very high number of vehicles on the roadways every day, and accidents happen all the time. While most are minor and do not result in serious injuries, there are some that end up being fatal. It is everyone’s responsibility to try to figure out how to prevent and stop fatal accidents.
This duty starts with understanding why so many people die from motor vehicle accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain the U.S. has an incredibly high rate of death from motor vehicle accidents that other high-income countries do not. The two leading causes of fatal accidents are drunk driving and speeding.
There are also a lot of risk factors in the U.S. that lead to serious accidents. Behind drunk driving and speeding is not wearing seat belts. These safety devices save lives as shown time and again by statistics. Yet, many people do not use them.
There is also an increasing number of people who drive distracted. When driving, you should focus only on that task. You should not look at your cell phone or even fiddle with the radio. You need your whole mind on driving and your eyes on the road.
Every cause of a fatal car accident is preventable. This makes it so frustrating when these accidents happen. It is why every driver must take responsibility, follow the laws and be a safe driver. This information is for education and is not legal advice.