According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), more than 400 people suffered serious injuries and more than 90 people lost their lives in traffic collisions from January to March in 2013. There are countless different causes of these types of accidents, with many being somehow attributed to driver error. To best adapt and respond to these, the WTSC has split up the different types and causes of car accidents into three priorities, allowing them to better strategize on the most important safety issues.
Per preliminary 2013 data, the following are priority one:
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Impaired Driving: This is further split into accidents involving a driver who was drinking, impaired by alcohol, or impaired by drugs. From January to March 2013, this caused over 100 serious injuries and nearly 45 deaths—making it the singular most hazardous cause of Washington car accidents.
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Run Off the Road: This type of accident usually involves one vehicle when they leave the roadway; most common causes include losing control of the vehicle, misjudging an upcoming curve, or overcorrecting to avoid something in the middle of the road. From 1/13 to 3/13, run off the road accidents caused 26 people to lose their lives; there were no injuries.
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Speeding: Due to the loss of control and less time to react to upcoming problems, speeding is the cause of many car accidents in the state of Washington. Per WTSC data, there were more than 124 serious injuries and 32 fatalities from accidents where speeding was involved from 1/13 to 3/13.
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Young Drivers: Due to their lack of experience, young drivers (aged 16 to 25) are often a cause of serious accidents throughout Washington. From 1/13 to 3/13, young drivers were involved in accidents that caused 125 serious injuries and nearly 30 fatalities. Of this, the most accidents were caused by drivers between the ages of 21 and 25.
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Distracted Drivers: With the constant distractions available behind the wheel (such as texting, eating, and talking to passengers), it is no surprise to learn that distracted driving accidents are considered to be a priority one cause of accidents. From 1/13 to 3/13, accidents involving a distracted driver caused 35 serious injuries and caused more than 20 people to lose their lives.
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Intersection: Accidents in intersections are considered to be one of the most common, especially due to the many different directions cars are coming from and traveling to. From 1/13 to 3/13, accidents in intersections caused 142 serious injuries and 20 fatalities.
Why You Need a Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer
Other common causes of accidents include unlicensed drivers, older drivers, tired drivers, and driving through a work zone. Regardless, however, of the type of accident that you were involved with, you deserve to have a compassionate Seattle car accident attorney on your side who is invested in helping you to recover the just amount of compensation that you deserve. This compensation could be used to cover everything from medical bills to lost wages to even the loss of companionship if a loved one suffered a wrongful death.
At Law Office of J.D. Smith, PLLC, we pride ourselves on "seeking justice one handshake at a time." No matter the circumstances, you can trust our compassionate attorneys to stand up for your rights. If you would like to schedule a free consultation with a member of our firm, we encourage you to reach out and contact us as soon as possible. With years of experience, we can help you to put your life back on track once more.
Call us at (206) 537-0106 today! We look forward to hearing from you and discussing the specifics of your case.