For anyone involved in a car accident, Gainesville car accident lawyer Steve Bagen tells us that one of the most powerful tools for ensuring you gain the maximum compensation you deserve, is to engage a car accident attorney.

It is easy to think, “It will never happen to me”, or “It will only be a minor accident and my car insurance will cover it.” But that is exactly the kind of thinking that every other driver is thinking too, and it is an attitude that will do you no favors.

Even the safest drivers on the road have car accidents. No matter how well you drive, or how well you follow the road rules, there are factors outside your control that can lead to a car accident.

Basic Car Accident Causes

Here are two of the major causes of car accidents caused by “the other driver”.

Speeding

The speed limits are set to accurately dictate the safe speed on a section of roadway. This considers all road conditions, and all vehicles.

Therefore, on a clear sunny day, it may well feel safe to drive faster than the speed limit on some sections of some roads, particularly if you are in a modern vehicle with power steering and other safety features built into vehicles these days.

But when the weather isn’t so good, or when you or the other driver are not driving a modern vehicle, the faster you go, the longer it will take to stop.

Speeding accidents often combine with other poor driving practices like following too closely, changing lanes often and without properly checking, drink driving, not slowing down on corners, and passing when you can’t clearly see all the road ahead.

Distracted Drivers

While you may drive with your eyes pinned to the road, the same cannot be said for all drivers.

Other drivers can be distracted by many things.

They might be looking at a pretty girl they are driving past, staring at something special like a tourist attraction, trying to light a cigarette, or get something out of their wallet or purse.

Sometimes, it is simple daydreaming, or having their mind concentrating too much on something else when their mind should be concentrating on driving.

You have probably heard stories or even seen a woman applying makeup and staring into their internal car mirrors as they drive to work in the morning.

But the most common distraction for drivers these days is cell phone use.

Despite the common belief that people can multitask, the brain is not designed to concentrate on two things at the same time. You might think you can tap those cell phone keys as fast as the Rubik’s cube world record holder but using your cell phone forces your brain to concentrate on that, rather than on driving.

Whether it is texting, calling, or simply reading something on your cell phone, it takes you brain away from what it should be doing – driving safely.

Many countries and states have made it illegal to use your cell phone while driving, and have introduced heavy fines.

Other leading causes of car accidents include:

• Driving recklessly – disregarding the road rules and other drivers
• Drunk or drugged drivers – including prescription medicine, you are not fully coherent to drive accurately
• Falling asleep while driving – including exhaustion, make sure you are well rested before driving and on long trips make regular stops to refresh, or change drivers.
• Not being aware of other drivers around you – this includes changing lanes without checking for other vehicles or making turns without seeing what else is on the road near you.

If it is not you causing car accidents, even through a moment’s inattention, you still need to be aware of the other drivers around you and the accident-causing habits they may be undertaking.

So, there is every chance that one day you could be involved in a car accident. The result could have you and others injured and facing time off work and medical costs not covered by your car insurance.

This is when engaging a specialist car accident lawyer is vital.