What causes accidents? / How can we avoid them?

[Motofool]

Copied from http://www.smartmotorist.com/traffic...accidents.html

What causes accidents?

"The dictionary defines accident as "an unexpected and undesirable event, a mishap unforeseen and without apparent cause."
Strictly speaking, most accidents are not accidents at all: they are collisions that could and should have been avoided.
So, what causes them, and how can you avoid them?"

Four are the factors:

Equipment Failure
Roadway Design
Poor Maintenance
Driver Behavior

The most frequent factor: Aggressive Drivers

Six are the behaviors of aggressive drivers:

Aggressive tailgating
Lights flashed at them because the other motorist was annoyed
Aggressive or rude gestures
Deliberate obstruction -- preventing them from moving their vehicle
Verbal abuse
Physical assault

"Speed Kills - The faster the speed of a vehicle, the greater the risk of an accident. The forces experienced by the human body in a collision increase exponentially as the speed increases."

Seven are the violations of aggressive or inattentive drivers:

Excessive speed
Frequent or unsafe lane changes
Failure to signal
Tailgating
Failure to yield the right of way
Disregarding traffic controls
Impaired driving

[Aggrotech]

only things i do out of that seven is excessive speed and very rarely frequent/unsafe lane changes.

do i get a pass sticker? D:

[JohnnyBravo]

Ain't had no wreck yet, and would like to keep it that way

[Alex]

This thread provides some reasonable metrics on "will it ever happen"? But I think Motofool is more interested in discussing the various causes that may lead to them.

[Jono]

[CC Cowboy]

I knew that texting and cell phone use had nothing to do with crashing. I'm calling my Congressman as we speak. I hope he's not on the road. I'd hate it if he got in an accident answering my call.

[rojoracing53]

Interesting I always thought incompetence was the #1 factor in accidents.

[alex.s]

what causes accidents... #1 a driver who wasn't paying enough attention far ahead enough, made an incorrect assumption about something not being where it is. ('too fast/overwealmed and when the driver gets cut off by a car they change lanes without good view and hit a parked truck' -> i've done this before) #2 driver tries to do something that they think their vehicle will be able to handle but they either dont know their vehicle or do the maneuver too abruptly or harshly, vehicle doesn't complete the maneuver, they hit a tree. i've also done this. #3 something outside visible distance suddenly without warning obstructs a path and you have no escape... think deer jumping in front of you... who hasn't had one of these crashes happen.

[Mauchner]

Originally Posted by alex.s

what causes accidents... #1 a driver who wasn't paying enough attention far ahead enough, made an incorrect assumption about something not being where it is. ('too fast/overwealmed and when the driver gets cut off by a car they change lanes without good view and hit a parked truck' -> i've done this before) #2 driver tries to do something that they think their vehicle will be able to handle but they either dont know their vehicle or do the maneuver too abruptly or harshly, vehicle doesn't complete the maneuver, they hit a tree. i've also done this. #3 something outside visible distance suddenly without warning obstructs a path and you have no escape... think deer jumping in front of you... who hasn't had one of these crashes happen.

Only been driving 6 years but even still never had any of these happen!!! Knock on wood.

[blink]

lol they aren't accidents, they are collisions; as my driving instructor would say.

And I have to agree.

Aside from that, very good write up =]

[cbinker]

rider error causes accidents.

[willk]

I would add 'riding above your comfort zone' to the list...aka trying to follow someone faster than you