A car accident could occur due to a myriad of reasons. The most common causes of motor vehicles include distracted drivers, speeding, and drunk driving. The party who causes the collision could be held liable in court. It is best to reach out to a knowledgeable car accident attorney to learn about your eligibility for compensation. The dedicated attorneys at The A.W. Smith Law Firm could help you understand the common causes of car accidents in Columbia, MO and how to hold the negligent party accountable.
Some common causes of car accidents in Columbia include a drunk driver or a driver who is impaired by alcohol or drugs. Columbia, being a very festive, celebratory town, modern, and progressive town, has many recreational events, athletic competitions, and festivals. Due to their celebratory nature, people may engage in drinking alcohol. That is not to say that it is specifically event-orientated.
An individual may be out and about one evening, consume too much alcohol, and unlawfully get behind the wheel of their motor vehicle. They are breaking the law in operating their motor vehicle in an impaired state. They have increased the chances of not only harming themselves but also harming others on the road.
Other causes of automobile wrecks are driving at an excessive rate of speed, especially for the weather conditions. The fact that the speed limit on the Interstate is 70 miles per hour does not mean that an individual should be operating their motor vehicle at that rate of speed during hazardous weather. One has to properly assess the weather conditions when determining how fast to drive. Also, if it is an area of congested traffic, they should drive at a rate of speed which not only protects them but protects other drivers.
Another cause of car accidents in Columbia could be environmental factors, such as fog while driving at night or other hazardous driving conditions. Driving at night, an individual has to make certain that they have properly-functioning headlights. They have to pay attention to the areas that are outside of their visibility because they may not be able to see as far at night as they are during the day. One has to be particularly cognizant of that fact and be very attentive of their surrounding circumstances.
Another common cause of car accidents is driver inattentiveness. This is especially true when approaching intersections that may have traffic control devices such as a stop sign, a yield sign, or a traffic light. Sometimes people are inattentive, whether it is texting while driving, being distracted by the radio, or whether it is talking to other passengers in the car. They may not notice a stop sign. They may not notice the fact that they have a red light, and that could cause or contribute to cause a collision.
In certain circumstances, an individual may become overly aggressive and believe that they could pass through the intersection before the light turns red. Perhaps they believe they could do the “roll-through” stop without coming to a complete stop. That could cause and contribute to cause a collision.
Other common cause of car accidents may be unfamiliarity with the road and driver inexperience. Columbia is a college town, and whenever there are collegiate athletic events or festivals, people come from all parts of the state, including the Midwest and all parts of the country. They are traveling to Columbia to enjoy themselves. This may be their first time or second time visiting, but because of that, they may not have experience of Columbia’s roadways. They may not know from past experience what the speed limit is in a certain situation. They may not know where certain locations are so they may make more abrupt stops or turns without properly signaling. They may not know what roadways are one-way or certain entry points to parking lots.
That inexperience may also be with novice drivers. Sometimes the causes of collisions are because of inexperience, not because of a failure to pay attention. It may just be the anxiety and nervousness that comes with being a younger driver.
During an initial consultation with a car accident lawyer, if they have it available, they should bring the accident report and any photographs that they may have. If they have any type of medical records that would show any emergency room visits or treatment that one has received, they should bring that as well.
The consultation should be very event-orientated and fact-specific when it comes to the collision. The injured claimant should know to the best of their ability the date, the place, and the time of the crash. If one does not have the accident report necessary, they should bring any type of information that may have been exchanged at the scene. This would include the defendant driver’s name, contact information, and the insurance company. Also, they should be very honest with the attorney during the initial consultation so that a proper assessment and a full evaluation could occur.
Call The A.W. Smith Law Firm to learn about the common causes of car accidents in Columbia and your eligibility to recover compensation. Get started today.
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