29 Aug

Understanding Negligent Driving: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Americans take 1.1 billion trips a day, and the average driver spends 55 minutes behind the wheel each day. All in all, that’s a tremendous amount of activity on the roads. The issue is that not every one of those drivers is a safe driver, and even if you drive with as much caution as possible, you can’t control the negligence of other drivers, also known as driver error. Negligent driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents, among other things. It’s important to not only understand how negligent driving can lead to accidents but the consequences as a result and various means of prevention that can be taken to make the roads safer going forward.

What Is Negligent Driving?

Negligence is defined as careless conduct that ends up causing harm to another person. There are several different ways a driver can be negligent behind the wheel, including:

Texting or Talking on the Phone: Engaging with your cellphone while driving is a common form of negligence that takes your attention off the road which can cause you to injure yourself or another driver.
Changing the Radio: This is something some might argue “only takes a second,” but a second of your attention off the road is all it takes for an accident to occur.
Eating: Consuming food while driving can take your attention off the road.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol: Operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can impair your ability to drive and cause you to get into an accident.
Driving While Drowsy: Driving while fatigued or excessively tired can result in reduced alertness or for the driver to fall asleep at the wheel, also leading to an accident.
Aggressive Driving: Tailgating, weaving through traffic, and behaving erratically behind the wheel endangers the driver and those surrounding them.
Running Red Lights or Stop Signs: Disobeying traffic signals can cause collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians.
Speeding: Going above the legal speed limit can increase your odds of losing control of your vehicle and limit your ability to react in an appropriate manner of time.
And more.

Related Statistics

In 2018, 17 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding.

In 2021, 3352 people were killed by distracted driving.

60% of all traffic accident deaths are caused by aggressive driving.

Using a phone while driving causes 1.6 million crashes every year. (NSC)

3,000+ teens die each year in crashes that involve texting and driving. (III)

Consequences of Negligent Driving

Negligent driving compromises the safety of the driver and everyone else on the road, causing accidents that damage vehicles, and can also result in serious injuries. Suffering injuries might lead to hefty medical bills for things like hospital stays, surgery, medications, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and more. If your injuries are extreme, you might have to take time off of your job which can make paying for these expenses much more difficult.

In addition, the insurance company of the at-fault driver (and even your own) will do what they can to deny or devalue your injury claims so that they can avoid paying you a fair settlement. They understand how financially straining an accident can be, so they’re hoping that you’re desperate enough for cash that you’ll accept a lowball offer that is nowhere near the value of your injuries. Working with a personal injury attorney can force the insurance companies to take you more seriously and give you a better advantage of reaching a full and fair settlement.

If you are the at-fault driver, you can face severe fines and penalties, traffic citations, driver’s license points and suspensions, criminal charges, and more. It can also have long-term impacts on your insurance premiums, causing them to rise and making it difficult to find alternative insurance should you choose to do so.

Prevention Strategies

Incorporating effective prevention strategies is essential to promoting safer driving habits for the sake of everyone on the road. It starts with educating drivers about the significance of responsible operation of a vehicle. A few practical tips to help drivers keep their focus on the road include:

Silence your phone: By eliminating the alerts on your cell phone, you can avoid being tempted to address any notifications that pop up while you’re driving.
Program Your GPS Ahead of Time: Before you embark on your journey, short or long, it’s important to program your destination into your GPS before you begin driving so you can avoid the distraction of programming it while actively driving.
Set Your Playlist Ahead of Time: Similar to your GPS, set your music up before you drive so you don’t distract yourself while on the road.
Eat Before or After Driving: Avoid eating or drinking while driving so you can keep your focus on the road.
Avoid multitasking: Don’t complete other tasks like working, reading, applying makeup or other grooming products while behind the wheel.
Limit Passengers: Having passengers in your vehicle can be distracting if you have a difficult time focusing on the road when conversations and music are present.

About The Firm

Since The Florida Law Group opened its doors in 1984, we’ve recovered over $1 billion dollars for various accident victims. Additionally, we’ve received numerous accolades from several prestigious legal organizations across the U.S. including…

Avvo
Best Lawyers In America
Florida Super La
National Trial Lawyers Top 100
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Trial Lawyer Board of Regents
And more!

How The Florida Law Group Can Help You

The Florida Law Group is one of the state’s oldest and most reputable personal injury firms. We are renowned for delivering clients with seasoned legal guidance that empowers them to secure the rightful compensation they deserve. If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, we’ll stand up for you and your rights. Call today to schedule a free consultation and learn about your next steps in pursuing compensation.