Common Highway Accidents and How to Avoid Them
Residents from Plumas Lake commonly take State Route 70 or cut over to SR 99 to travel to Yuba City or south to Sacramento. Living in a tranquil area such as Plumas Lake can leave drivers unprepared for heavy highway traffic and potential accidents with other motorists and big rigs. However, traffic accidents are the most common type of personal injury. When a negligent motorist or trucker causes injuries to another individual, that person can place a claim for compensation with the help of an experienced injury lawyer.
Fatalities in Traffic Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 22,891 fatalities caused to the occupants of passenger vehicles in 2018. The likelihood of becoming a fatality was higher in smaller vehicles as opposed to larger ones. It also increased if a smaller vehicle became involved in a crash with a larger vehicle. The risk was also influenced by the higher number of rollovers found in SUVs, light pickups, and vans because their center of gravity is higher.
What Are the Most Common Highway Accidents?
Having information about the most common highway accidents near Plumas Lake can help a motorist be aware of potential dangers. Accidents along Highway 70 can be caused by sudden backups, speeders, and even farm equipment on the roadway. However, the most common causes of highway accidents include:
- Accidents while merging: Accidents caused by merging often occur when lanes narrow down or when a vehicle is entering or exiting a highway on a ramp. In many cases, it is caused by the driver not adjusting their speed, misjudging how fast vehicles in the next lane are traveling, and not being cautious of their blind spots. Checking your blind spots and planning ahead to change lanes or merge can help avoid a dangerous accident.
- Sideswipe accidents: Sideswipes occur when a motorist tries to change lanes when another vehicle is in the same spot when making a turn at an intersection or on highway exit and entrance ramps. A sideswipe is a dangerous accident because vehicles offer less protection to passengers if the car or truck is struck from the side. Always checking your blind spot before moving over can help keep you from causing a sideswipe accident.
- Rear-end collisions: About 29-percent of traffic accidents are rear-end crashes. Tailgating, inattention, and speeding are common causes. A driver can prevent this by staying alert and keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front. If a motorist is being tailgated, the best thing to do is to move over into a different lane.
- Multiple-vehicle crashes: Multiple-vehicle collisions sometimes occur on highways and usually one or more vehicles are at-fault. A driver may be speeding or driving recklessly. Another may have their brake lights out or be tailgating. Other driver errors include drunk or distracted driving, fatigue, or other factors that make a driver unsafe on the road. The best way to avoid these types of collisions is to stay alert, obey traffic laws, and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
- Head-on collisions: Head-on crashes often result in fatalities and serious injuries. Since high speeds on highways are involved, the impact is doubled when the speed of both vehicles is combined. Usually, they are caused by a drunk or elderly driver, government negligence by not placing clear signage or objects in the roadway. Once again, staying alert to these dangers can help keep a motorist safe.
Plumas Lake Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Plumas Lake personal injury lawyer. If you were injured by a negligent driver or other entity, I have free and friendly advice to offer when you call me at (530) 392-9400. I can also be reached at (800) 404-5400 or by messaging me online.
I’ve helped Plumas Lake residents obtain fair compensation for their accident injuries since 1982 for all types of traffic crashes, wrongful deaths, and traumas such as brain injuries.
The following are two of the associations that I’m especially honored to belong to:
Learn more about my law firm at the following:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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