What are Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Our Cleveland car accident attorneys handle cases involving distracted drivers, motorists texting or driving drunk and speeding
Car accidents in Ohio happen for many reasons. We know because our accident attorneys at Merriman Legal, LLC, have worked with victims of many different types of auto accidents, including crashes caused by drivers who were distracted, drunk, speeding, fatigued or being aggressive or reckless.
Determining the cause of an accident can often be difficult. That’s especially true if the at-fault driver denies wrongdoing or tries to blame you for triggering your accident. In complicated cases involving disputes with negligent drivers and insurance companies, it’s wise to leave the details to an experienced attorney.
Building a strong legal case after a car accident often takes a tremendous amount of work. Even knowing where to find the evidence can be overwhelming. If you need help, contact us today. Our attorneys know how to investigate accidents and want to work with you.
Common causes of auto accidents in Ohio
The following are some common causes of Ohio accidents. Click on any of the links for more information:
While many car accidents often share many things in common, it’s important to understand that every motor vehicle accident is unique. That’s why it’s critical that you contact our law firm as soon as possible to discuss the details of your specific accident.
Merriman Legal, LLC – experienced, aggressive and focused on results
Evidence builds strong legal cases. Without the facts to support your accident claim, you may have a difficult time obtaining compensation. We help people just like you. We will investigate and make sure you get the medical treatment you need and get your other accident-related expenses paid.
Our skilled attorneys know what questions to ask, how to carefully analyze accident reports and transform that information into a strong legal case. We also know how to negotiate with insurance companies and will even file a lawsuit on your behalf if necessary. Contact us.
When drivers fail to pay attention to the road, they put everyone around them at risk. In recent years, accidents caused by drivers using their cellphones have become increasingly common. You don’t need to drive very far down I-90, I-480 or I-71 in Cleveland before you notice someone talking or texting on a smartphone. But long before mobile devices were common, distracted driving accidents have been a problem on Ohio roads.
The following is a short list of driver distractions:
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Having conversations with passengers
- Operating a GPS while driving
- Adjusting the radio
- Personal grooming such as shaving or putting on makeup
- Dealing with children in the backseat
- Looking at people or objects on the side of the road
Texting while driving is against the law in Ohio. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop some drivers from sending or reading messages and causing car accidents. What makes these accidents so dangerous is the drivers who cause them often don’t slow down before crashing into other cars, pedestrians or cyclists.
Some studies find that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. There’s even a term for such dangerous behavior: driving while "intexticated." Yet in many cases, drivers deny texting while driving.
Drivers 21 to 25 years caused the most texting while driving accidents in Ohio in 2013. According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, 107 drivers in that age range caused car accidents while texting which resulted in accident injuries.
But such statistics only begin to tell the full story. In many cases, many drivers deny texting while driving. An experienced attorney, however, can hold the negligent driver accountable by investigating the accident and finding facts to prove texting was the cause.
Just about everyone knows that driving drunk poses a serious risk to others. It seems that nearly every day a Cleveland news outlet reports another drunk driving accident. Despite public awareness and efforts to keep intoxicated drivers off the roads, drivers in Ohio make reckless choices every day and put everyone on the road at risk because they decided to drink and drive.
Drunk drivers who cause car accidents inflict a lot of damage on other people’s lives. Whether the impaired driver caused a rear-end collision or a head-on accident, the consequences are often the same: Innocent victims are seriously injured or lose their lives. Catastrophic injuries related to alcohol-related crashes include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, potentially fatal internal injuries and more.
We have extensive experience handling some of the most complex cases involving severe injuries and wrongful death.
Driving over the speed limit might not seem like a serious crime. But there’s a reason for speed limits on Ohio roadways: drivers have less time to slow down, react to traffic signals and other motorists when they are going too fast. Accidents involving speeding drivers are often more severe than crashes at lower rates of speed because the force of a speeding vehicle is much greater than a car traveling the legal speed limit.
Many drivers deny driving fast. But evidence often exists which reveals the truth. In some cases, speeding is combined with other dangerous behavior, such as drinking and driving or texting while driving. Our attorneys know what to look for to build a successful speeding accident case. Whether investigating skid marks on the road – or the absence of them – or other physical evidence, we can help you hold the driver accountable for your speeding accident.
Drivers who fall asleep at the wheel made a choice. They could have pulled over and rested. Instead, they chose to continue driving. As a result, tired driving accidents are not victimless crimes. And the driver who causes these accidents needs to be held responsible.
Even if the driver denies falling asleep at the wheel, there are often telltale signs that the driver drifted off or was not awake. The absence of skid marks is one clue. Witnesses reporting seeing the vehicle weave or drift from one lane to another is another clue.
If you or a loved one was injured by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, contact our law firm. We can investigate your fatigued driving accident and deal directly with insurance companies on your behalf. That way, you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery after your accident.
This common cause of auto accidents might sound vague. But most of us have witnessed reckless drivers on the road. Whether it’s weaving between cars, tailgating or aggressive driving, all of these actions can easily result in a serious car accident.
If you’ve been involved in an accident involving a reckless driver, contact the police promptly and seek immediate medical attention. Don’t hesitate to contact us. Reckless drivers and bullying insurance companies don’t intimidate us. We know how to investigate accidents and effectively negotiate.
This may be your only opportunity for justice. Make sure you give your accident case the best possible chance to succeed. Contact our law firm to arrange an appointment at no cost. We’re ready and eager to work with you.
