WHERE YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE A CRASH

A car crash is something most drivers never anticipate. However, staying informed more about road situations, black spots, and where you are most likely to encounter a car accident helps you practice safety measures. Driving in certain areas, under certain speed limits, times, or on some highways can increase your susceptibility to car accidents. Let’s look at the common places where you are likely to encounter a car accident or crash.

Two-lane roads

On a two-lane road, every drive has a single lane in each direction. Two-lane roads are often smaller than major highways, and therefore drivers need to be very careful. A driver straying into the oncoming lane can bump into another car heading in the opposite direction and cause a severe head-on collision. When driving on a two-lane road, be very keen when overtaking. Always check severally to ensure there are no oncoming vehicles and do not underestimate the distance it takes you to get back to your lane after overtaking.

Country roads

According to a study, 60% of fatal road accidents occur on country roads or rural highways. Rural highways carry many risks because of hidden twists, corners, turns, bends, and blind spots. According to the study:Three people die every day on average due to accidents on rural roads.

The number of people killed in country road accidents is 11times higher compared to motorways.
One driver in every 20 has had a collision on a rural highway, and a quarter of them have had a near-miss collision on the same roads.

Although rural highways see less traffic, they are often the most prone to single-vehicle accidents. The lack of traffic often causes drivers to become inattentive, and it is easy to veer off the road. Moreover, road maintenance in the countryside is often lacking, making the roads spotty, contributing to accidents.

As such, if you commute to work daily using a country road, always exercise great caution when driving and stay informed on what to do in case you encounter a problem. Having the contacts of your professional car shop and a towing service such as the Sheen Group keeps you rest assured you have a way out whenever you face a problem on the road.

Built-up traffic areas

One would think that driving at fast speeds puts you at a greater risk of an accident. But driving under slow speeds in built-up traffic areas is very dangerous, just as driving at higher speeds is. Driving too slow causes many drivers to get relaxed and lose concentration.

When too close to a car while queuing in traffic, you can roll backward or bump into the front car if you lose concentration. This is very common when driving in traffic in the rush hour during morning and evening hours. Avoid using your phone, especially during such times.

At stop signs

Another common place where car crashes occur is at stop signs. In most cases, a driver fails to stop at the right time, rolls through the sign, or fails to stop altogether, which can cause a severe crash or a pedestrian knockdown. Always pay attention to road signs and prepare to stop early enough when you spot a stop sign.

Parking lots

Many crashes happen in car parking lots. They are not likely to be serious or fatal, but they are prevalent and sometimes cause wrangles between car owners. There are many cars at close quarters, lax regulations, and more pedestrian movement in a parking lot, which is why cars bumping into each other is common. Others damage already parked vehicles and leave.

On a lane change

Another common area you are most likely to encounter a car crash is where lanes merge or on a lane change as you drive. A lane change accident occurs when two drivers going in the same direction change lanes at the same time and smash into each other. Or one driver switches lanes without carefully checking and strikes the other vehicle. Others slow down after changing lanes, and the vehicle behind bumps into them.

Additionally, a lane change accident can happen when a car is trying to merge from a limited-access highway entrance or when trying to make a turn at an intersection.

As a driver, you should not move from one lane to another unless you have ensured it is safe to do so. You must ensure that no other vehicle is changing lanes at that moment to avoid a crash. Also, never underestimate the distance behind you from the other car when changing lanes. You should always allow enough room for you to adapt your speed and stabilize on the new lane.

Icy roads

Out of the more than 6million car accidents that happen every year, 22% are caused by extreme weather conditions. Icy roads are most likely to cause a car accident. About 24% of accidents occur on snowy and icy pavements. As a driver, you must always keep in mind that it takes at least 10minutes to stop on an icy or snowy road than on dry pavement. Always be careful when driving during the winter season.

Intersections

According to a study, 15% of road accidents happen at intersections while the others happen on open roads. Many crashes in intersections occur because of speeding, distracted driving, failure to observe traffic rules, and making improper left turns. Such accidents are hazardous and can be fatal. Always be careful when driving at intersections and focus on the road.

Close to home

52% of all nonfatal car crashes happen close to home, around 5miles from one’s home. Another study also found that about 77% of accidents occur around 15miles from one’s residential area. Many drivers are used to driving on the roads near their home every day that they get too relaxed or complacent about the traffic rules.

Accidents around the neighborhood include side swapping parked cars or bumping into a passing vehicle when one is backing out of the driveway. Although many of them are nonfatal, they can cause massive damage to cars that can be costly to repair.

The takeaway

Always be keen when driving in the areas or roads mentioned above.