Driving on the highway requires a lot of attention to the task at hand, as well as trust in all of the other drivers to follow traffic laws and engage in safe and responsible driving. While most often, people can drive on the highway without incident, there are many accidents daily across the country at high speeds on these major roads.
Highway accidents are dangerous for several reasons, starting with the fact that the vehicles are traveling at higher speeds than on secondary roads. There are multiple lanes for many more vehicles traveling alongside, in front of, and behind others. Minor contact between two vehicles can lead to serious, multiple-vehicle crashes and catastrophic — or fatal — injuries.
What Is a Highway?
Highways are designed to move large volumes of vehicles long distances over a shorter period of time than a secondary road. There are no stop signs, and merging takes place over a long distance on an on-ramp designed to allow a merging vehicle to reach a safe speed before entering the right lane; likewise, an off-ramp is designed to allow a driver to reduce speed before exiting the highway system and joining a secondary road. Drivers who wish to change lanes or exit the highway must maintain the same speed as the traffic around them while signaling their maneuver and waiting until they can safely commit to the move. When everyone obeys the same rules and laws, a highway works very well; unfortunately, many people ignore speed limits, engage in lane changes without signaling, and more.
If you have been involved in an accident on the highway that someone else caused, you may be entitled to compensation for a range of impacts, known as damages. These damages are often paid out at the end of an insurance claim, but in some cases, the insurer may be unwilling to reach an agreement, and the claimant must file a lawsuit. Regardless of how your case goes, working with a personal injury attorney is one of the best ways to ensure that you are taking the right steps towards getting the money you deserve. 1-800-Injured is a proven way for personal injury victims to connect with attorneys in their area.
Find a Car Accident Lawyer With Ease
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. Instead of going through the additional effort to find an attorney during this already difficult time, we will connect you with a lawyer for a free consultation with no hassle. During your consultation, you will have an opportunity to learn all about the type of support the attorney can offer you, as well as past cases they have successfully represented that are similar to your own. While no two accidents are alike, knowing that other people have moved past their situation with success can help you look towards the future with confidence.
Read more below to learn about some common causes of highway accidents, and contact us as soon as possible to be connected with an attorney today. The sooner you have a lawyer representing your case, the sooner you can stay focused on recovering from your injuries and getting your life back on track without the extra anxiety of trying to fight for the money you deserve through a complicated legal process.
Common Causes of Highway Car Crashes
The following is a short list of common causes, but whether or not the cause of your accident is included below, contact us as soon as possible to connect with an attorney. You will be able to discuss all of the details of your accident and learn about how the at-fault driver’s actions may entitle you to a range of damages that you are owed compensation for.
Distracted Driving
Every time someone driving a car takes their hands off the wheel, their mind off of their task (driving safely), or their eyes off the road, they are engaging in distracted driving, whether or not they consciously realize that this is the case. We commonly think of texting while driving, which is a common example, but others include eating behind the wheel, using a GPS, changing radio stations, talking on a phone, or even daydreaming.
Speeding
The state government sets highway speed limits, and these limits are based on a variety of factors that include safe operation speeds, emissions, and more. When all drivers move at a similar speed, maneuvers like merges and lane changes are safe and seamless. But when one driver chooses to ignore these limits and drive at excessive speeds, there is an increased risk of an accident with other vehicles for various reasons. In addition to the increased risk of a crash, the severity of a crash increases as well.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving is a blanket term for a variety of behaviors that drivers may engage in on the road that intimidate and distract everyone else, including things like tailgating, “brake checking,” swerving in and out of a lane, weaving in and out of traffic, flashing high beams at another vehicle, or making threatening gestures to other drivers. Trying to safely share the road with an aggressive driver can be intimidating, especially for inexperienced drivers who are already trying to pay attention to many different variables to operate their vehicle safely.
Solar Glare and Other Environmental Hazards
Inclement weather like snow, rain, and wind all increase the risk of a severe accident as they reduce a driver’s ability to control their vehicle at high speeds, brake quickly and safely, and see upcoming obstacles. Likewise, driving head-on into the sun can dramatically reduce a driver’s ability to see ahead of them and may cause them to drive into a stopped or slowed vehicle in front of them, strike an obstacle or person on the road, or otherwise cause a crash.
Failures to Signal Lane Changes
When a driver plans to make a lane change on the highway, they are expected to activate their turn signal as they assess their surroundings and wait for a safe moment to move into their target lane with ample space between other vehicles. Failure to use a turn signal can lead other drivers to accidentally drive into the vehicle making the change or might cause others to swerve sharply to avoid an accident. Using a turn signal is a fundamental rule of driving, and the failure to do so puts everyone at unnecessary risk.