Five Common Car Crash Causes In Port St. Lucie

Human error causes over 90 percent of the car crashes in Florida. Typically, this error is serious enough to breach the duty of reasonable care, meaning that the tortfeasor (negligent driver) is usually liable for damages. In other cases, the error violates a safety law, such as speeding or DUI, and the tortfeasor may be liable for damages as a matter of law. In some cases, this doctrine, known as negligence per se, is only a presumption of negligence.

Speed

Excessive velocity is a factor in about a third of the fatal car crashes in the Sunshine State. Significantly, even if the tortfeasor was traveling below the posted speed limit but too fast for the conditions, liability may still attach. Speed increases both the risk of a collision, because velocity reduces reaction time, and also the severity of injury, because speed multiples the force in a collision.

Inattention

Distracted driving goes well beyond cellphone use. These devices garner most of the attention because they combine all three distracted driving forms, which are:

• Cognitive (taking one’s mind off driving),
• Manual (taking one or both hands off the wheel), and
• Visual (taking one’s eyes off the road).

Other forms of distracted driving in Port St. Lucie include eating while driving, talking to passengers, or gazing out the window. Hands-free cellphones are distracting as well, because they involve both visual and cognitive distraction. For this reason, and because these devices often create a false sense of security, these hands-free devices may be more dangerous than the handheld variety.

Alcohol

Since at least the late 1980s, law enforcement has cracked down on drunk drivers. Yet while fatalities have decreased, alcohol is still a factor in about a third of the fatal car crashes in Florida. This substance, along with many drugs, impairs judgement and slows reflexes, making it unsafe to operate a car even after just one drink. Just like it is legal for most people over 21 to drink alcohol yet illegal to drive while under its influence, it is illegal to drive under the influence of both legal drugs, like prescription painkillers or medical marijuana, and illegal drugs, like heroin or LSD.

Fatigue

People who would never drink and drive routinely operate motor vehicles when they are dangerously drowsy, even though alcohol and lack of sleep have roughly the same effect. In fact, driving after eighteen consecutive awake hours is like driving with a .08 BAC, which is above the legal limit in Florida. Making matters worse, many people use unproven tricks when they feel sleepy, like turning up the radio or drinking coffee, instead of pulling over and taking a nap. The latter method is the only way to combat drowsy driving.

Poor Vehicle Maintenance

Cars undergo lots of wear and tear, especially on the tires. Yet many people neglect their tires and drive when they are dangerously worn. As a result, they often lose control over their vehicles and cause a car wreck. Other common maintenance issues involve lights and breaks.

Count on Tenacious Lawyers

Car crash victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Port St. Lucie, contact Eighmie Law Firm, P.A. We do not charge upfront legal fees in negligence cases.

Resource:

cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2013/12/human-error-cause-vehicle-crashes