If you live in the city, you can’t escape the sound of honking horns and angry exchanges between drivers on the streets. For most of us living in the city, the thought of trying to drive our home streets might well be too much to bear. Traffic congestion, lack of parking, and bad drivers can be a huge challenge for city dwellers and commuters alike. But new shocking statistics about the frequency and cause of car accidents is enough to make you give up car travel altogether.
A whopping 17 million drunk drivers have been found guilty in America. That’s enough to fill a state. The sad thing is, it is thought a third of those have reoffended. Driving drunk isn’t just illegal, but it is one of easiest ways to cause the death or yourself or the death of others. Car accidents happen. But when you find out the person who caused it was drunk, you will always wonder if things could be different without that last drink.
New York is one of the busiest cities in the world. Injury lawyers at David Resnick & Associates, P.C. say that with 225,000 reported car accidents in the city last year, more and more people need their help. There is no easy way to claim back what is owed to you in compensation for an accident when someone else was at fault. Without an experienced lawyer on your side, your chances could be very poor.
The range of injuries for survivors of road traffic accidents is huge. All are likely to suffer prolonged aches and pains from the physical trauma of the impact. The neck is vulnerable in a car, so whiplash injury is very common. Smashed windows can cause cuts and permanent scarring. Cars that crumple onto the driver and passengers can cause crush injuries requiring amputations. Head traumas from car accidents can lead to loss of memory, coma, and permanent brain damage.
The psychological trauma of a car accident can run much deeper than most people expect. A bang or scraping noise even years after the accident can raise the heart rate and cause an excessive adrenaline response. The lack of sleep due to the pain from injuries is thought to contribute to problems with processing the memories of the accident. This may even form part of a post-traumatic stress response.
With so many accidents occurring, the chances are higher than you think that you or a loved one may be involved in one soon. With that in mind, there are some key things you can do to reduce the chances of you being responsible:
- Avoid unnecessary car travel
- Avoid alcohol if you will be driving in the next twelve hours
- Always wear a seatbelt and use child seats correctly
- Don’t take risks to make up time
- Expect the unexpected so you are ready to avoid a potential collision
- Slow down when children are near the roads
As with all things that require your full focus and attention, don’t drive tired or distracted by your cell phone. Distracted drivers could miss changes to the situation on the road quite easily. Take care, and stay calm to lessen your risk of being involved in a car accident.