Something goes wrong just prior to every car accident that occurs, and these problems can include environmental factors, problems with vehicles and of course human factors which are also known as mistakes. There are individuals and groups out there that work to compile data regarding car accidents with the hope that studying the data and publicizing the information can help to reduce the number of collisions that occur. Perhaps if more people are aware of what causes crashes most often, some of them can be avoided.
The Alaska Department of Transportation
is one governmental agency that compiles crash data, and it provides an exhaustive look at it for anyone who wants to review it. Clearly, the most severe crashes that can occur are those that lead to fatalities. Below you will find the 5 leading causes of fatal car accidents in Alaska that are caused by human factors or mistakes as recorded by law enforcement personnel who handled the aftermath of these crashes.
- Unsafe Speed
Speeding is something that nearly all of us are guilty of from time to time, and many of us do not consider it a particularly dangerous thing to do. In reality, traveling at an unsafe speed leads to more fatal crashes in Alaska than any other mistake that’s made behind the wheel. - Pedestrian Error/Confusion
Even at the busiest intersections, motorists just seem to not be used to sharing the roads with people traveling on foot. This strange phenomenon is only made worse by the fact that pedestrians are obviously extremely vulnerable to harm when they collide with large vehicles. - Distracted Driving
We have heard a lot about the dangers of distracted driving in the news in recent years, and that has a lot to do with the introduction of cell phones and electronic hand-held devices that are ubiquitous in society. Every second that someone is not paying attention to the road invites danger and unnecessary risk. - Drove Off Road
Driving off the road is something that is quite common in Alaska given the rural roads that exist and the difficulties with visibility that can arise. Extreme hazards also tend to lurk just off of the shoulders. Violent collisions with stationary objects and rollovers are constant threats when a motorist leaves the road. - Driver Inexperience
Every parent is nervous when his or her child learns to drive. Studies have shown that motorists are most likely to be involved in car accidents during the first few months that they get behind the wheel. Driving is a skill, and like all skills experience makes an enormous difference.
Everyone who drives makes mistakes from time to time. Sometimes those mistakes lead to tragic results, and families who lose loved ones deserve the opportunity to recover compensation for their losses. If you have lost a loved one in a crash caused by someone else, contact the Alaska wrongful death lawyers at Barber and Associates, LLC today to schedule a free initial consultation.