Motor vehicle accidents cause tens of thousands of fatalities each year in the U.S., and millions of serious injuries. As experienced accident attorneys, we know full well the financial, physical, emotional, and mental impact of a severe collision because we have been working with families affected by these accidents for many years.

It’s probably obvious that there is a multitude of possible contributing factors when it comes to fatal car accidents. Some of the most common include:

Speeding.  Exceeding the speed limit reduces control over the vehicle, increases stopping distance, limits visibility, and limits the time available to react. In addition, speeding increases the severity of accident injuries, if an accident occurs.

Drunk driving.  We all know that drunk driving makes it impossible to drive safely. Cognition, vision, judgment, coordination, alertness, concentration – all of these things are negatively impacted by inebriation. It’s also dangerous to drive if you consider yourself only “buzzed.” Being lightly “buzzed” will still limit your ability to drive and, depending on your tolerance of alcohol, you may be over the legal limit anyway.

Distracted driving.  Sending and reading text messages, using the phone, adjusting the navigation, arguing with a passenger, breaking up a fight between your kids – all of these are dangerous distractions that take your eyes, hands, and mind away from the task of driving. Distracted driving accidents claim a few thousand lives each year.

Disobeying other traffic laws.  Accidents are caused by motorists who run red lights and stop signs, aggressively change lanes, tailgate, and fail to yield the right of way. We all rely on traffic laws to reduce our accident risk. Unfortunately, not everyone follows the laws. It can also be tempting to do things like speed when you are feeling rushed, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going.

You deserve justice and maximum compensation if you have been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence. For a consultation and case review, please call the experienced accident lawyers at McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum LLP. You can reach us in New York at 518-792-1174, and in Florida, at 305-751-8556.

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