The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) now urges people to call traffic collisions “crashes” instead of “accidents.” By definition, the word accident implies that there is nothing that can be done to prevent a car crash – as it turns out, however, there are plenty of factors that affect whether or not a car crash occurs.

Human Causes of Michigan Car Crashes

Certainly, there are some matters that are beyond your control when you’re driving – like a deer running out in front of you, a tire blowout, or unexpected weather conditions. Some things you simply cannot control, though your level of attention to driving can impact the severity of a car crash. How alert you are impacts whether a collision occurs at all and, if one does occur, just how bad it is.

While deer are a nuisance and Michigan snow and ice are hazards, human behavior is the biggest cause of Michigan car crashes:

• Distracted driving: There is no substitution for a motorist’s attention. You simply cannot be a good driver if you’re focused on something other than the road. Whether you’re engrossed in text messaging, eating, using a navigation app, or tending to a passenger, any distractions are dangerous, and distracted driving causes car crashes every day. You can’t see that major pothole, notice that car swerving, recognize that deer’s shadow, or register the sudden downpour if your eyes are on your phone instead of the road.
• Drunk driving: There is no excuse for driving while under the influence. If you have one drop of alcohol, you simply should not get behind the wheel, bottom line. But people do it all the time. They think they’re fine, untouched, perfectly capable. And fatal car crashes result from drunk driving.
• Drowsy driving:
  Being tired behind the wheel mimics the behavior of drunk and distracted drivers – and it’s just as dangerous. A motorist’s level of alertness is critical to safety on the road. Whether you fall asleep behind the wheel or you’re simply tired, drowsy driving is a quick route to a major car crash.
• Reckless driving: Driving too fast for conditions, tailgating, ignoring the speed limit – drivers exhibit reckless behavior on the road regularly in their impatience to get somewhere or irritation with the driving habits of another motorist. You might not have intended to get in a car crash, but is your bad behavior really an accident?

Increasing Awareness for Dangerous Driving

In a car crash, someone bears the responsibility for the outcome, whether it’s a one-car crash or a multi-car crash. Things could have been done to prevent the collision from occurring. And while you have no-fault car insurance in the state of Michigan for a reason, the bottom line is that a crash is often the result of choices made by dangerous drivers and, quite often, a total disregard for safety. In contrast, an accident cannot be predicted.

The MDOT wants people to talk about the true causes of car crashes, and not write them off as unavoidable. Michigan car crash lawyer David C. Femminineo in Macomb County is dedicated to increasing awareness of dangerous driving. If you have been involved in a car crash because of a distracted, drunk, or reckless driver, contact Mr. Femminineo today to schedule your consultation.