A new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that more than half of all traffic accidents in a recent five-year period were caused by some form of aggressive driving.
I believe that many of the Chicago car accidents handled by the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes could have been prevented if the at-fault driver had not engaged in some form of dangerous behavior, including distracted or aggressive driving.
When an aggressive driver causes an accident, he or she can be held responsible in civil courts for the injuries and damage caused to innocent motorists and in some cases can even face criminal prosecution.
We are all familiar with the irate or dangerous motorist who tailgates, weaves in and out of traffic, and offers hand gestures to anyone in the way.
But some of us are guilty of some form of aggressive driving from time to time, including speeding, following too closely and failure to use proper signals or obey traffic control devices.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety rates aggressive driving at or near the top of traffic safety issues nationwide.
– Speeding, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is responsible for almost one-third of all fatal traffic crashes.
– Failure to yield the right of way is responsible for 11.4 percent of traffic fatalities.
A total of 192,069 fatal crashes killed 212,997 people during the five-year study period. The top causes of death were speeding, failure to yield, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic signals and improper turns.
The report found the following driver actions were among the most likely causes for accidents:
– Following improperly
– Improper or erratic lane changes
– Illegal driving on a road shoulder, median or sidewalk
– Passing where prohibited or where there is insufficient distance or visibility
– Operation of a vehicle in a reckless, careless, negligent or erratic manner or suddenly changing speeds
– Failure to yield
– Failure to obey traffic signals, traffic officers or safety zone laws
– Failure to observe warnings or instructions on vehicles displaying them
– Failure to signal
– Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding posted speed limits
– Racing
– Making improper turns
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in an accident, the Chicago car accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes offer free appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.