Automobile collisions are a fact of life for anyone who regularly drives or is a passenger in a vehicle. In Southern California, that means pretty much everyone is at risk. Collisions can be caused be a variety of factors. Drivers who are distracted by their smartphones, unsafe road conditions, and reckless behavior can all cause accidents. Below is a list of the most common causes of collisions. If you understand what you are most likely to encounter on the road, you can do your best to prevent accidents when presented with these situations.

• Distracted Drivers. Almost anything can distract a driver. Smartphone use is one of the most common causes of distracted driving, but drivers can also be distracted by other passengers (particularly children), eating or drinking, and multi-tasking (i.e. reaching into the glove compartment for something while operating a vehicle).
  
• Speeding. Speeding is something that is nearly universally practiced. So much so, that people forget that there are risks involved. Speed limits are set based on what is safe for road conditions. Violating speed limits means that you are no longer traveling at a safe speed. 

• Misunderstanding Right-of-Way Rules. Let’s review. At a four-way stop sign, the car that arrives at the intersection first gets to proceed through the intersection first. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle farthest to the right gets to move first. Also, vehicles leaving the flow of traffic always have the right-of-way above vehicles entering the flow of traffic. That means that if you are looking to turn right on red, you have to yield to the cars already moving, and that if you are trying to pull onto a two-lane road as a car is leaving that road, that they get to go first. Understanding and obeying these rules keeps everyone on the road safe. 
• Ignoring Stop Signals. Stop signs and red lights are not optional. When vehicles don’t properly come to a stop as required, accidents happen.

Stay safe out there, and remember that if you do experience an accident that you can call us for representation and support.