Car accidents are quite common in Arizona and anyone who sits behind a wheel should be aware of this. You pass by car accidents a lot, right? No matter if you were in one or not, you’re probably wondering what lead to it. Today, we will be discussing the top 5 causes of car accidents in Arizona.

You could surely name a few causes, which can ultimately help you stay safe on the road. Based on the latest report from Arizona Department of Transportation, there were as much as 130,000 reported vehicle collisions. The exact number could be much higher, since not all car accidents are reported.

#1 Cause of Car Accidents in Arizona Is Reckless Driving and Speeding

According to the same DOT report, more than 43,000 car accidents were caused by speeding. This both includes scenarios where the driver is driving above the allowed speed limit OR he/she is driving too fast for the conditions on the road. Almost 17% of all car accidents each year were actually speed-related incidents.

#2 is Distracted Driving

There is a range of distractions that can be causes of car accidents. They can include talking on your handheld phone, taking on a hands-free device, emailing, browsing the web, texting etc. Distractions while driving are dangerous for three main reasons:

1. They are taking the driver’s eyes of the road
2. They are taking the driver’s hand of the wheel and
3. They are taking the driver’s attention of the driving

#3 Impaired Driving

Almost 5,000 car collisions were caused by impaired driving, mostly because of alcohol. From those accidents, there were 256 fatalities and nearly 3,000 serious injuries. This contributes significantly to the total number of traffic fatalities in Arizona.

According to Arizona Traffic Laws, blood alcohol legal lever in Arizona is 0.08%. But, we need to keep in mind that someone can be impaired even below this level. It all depends on the body type and metabolism of each individual. So, if you don’t feel well enough to drive, leave it to someone else or call a service.

Furthermore, impaired driving doesn’t always involve alcohol. Sometimes this can be cause by other substances like narcotics or prescription medication.

#4 Driver fatigue can also be causes of car accidents

We all have busy lives, sometimes too many things to do, errands to run etc. So it’s natural that we feel exhausted. But even if we do, we should rest for a while before we start driving, especially if there’s a long drive ahead of us. The data from DOT says that nearly 1,700 drivers fell asleep or were fatigued behind the wheel, which lead to a car accident.

#5 Vehicle failure

Cars are and should be kept safe. We should be able to rely on them. However, just because you keep your car well maintained and in good working conditions, doesn’t mean that every other driver does. Car malfunction or failure can occur at any time. Depending on the failure, it can lead to loss control over the vehicle and cause a serious collision and fatal injuries.

Vehicle malfunction can sometimes (although rarely) be due mistakes made by the manufacturer, but in most cases, if the malfunctions are the

Vehicle malfunction can sometimes (although rarely) be due mistakes made by the manufacturer, but in most cases, if the malfunctions are the causes of car accidents, it’s most likely that it was due to the negligence of the owner who failed to maintain it regularly (change the oil, check the brakes etc.)

Driving a does provide certain benefits, but it also means that you need to be a responsible driver. Your responsibility is not only to yourself, but also to your passengers and others in traffic. Beware of these top 5 causes of car accidents. In the event that you or your loved one were in a car accident, caused by someone else, make sure that you contact our office and schedule a consultation so you could learn more about your legal options.