We have all heard the old saying about car accidents always taking place closer to home. While some may have written this off as an urban legend or an old wives’ tale, no experienced car accident attorney would ever be so quick to do so.
Avoiding the so called “hot spots” where car accidents take place is not always easy. The average driver probably thinks that they are more likely to end up in a car accident when they are further away from their residence. After all, unfamiliar surroundings can certainly breed confusion, right?
These viewpoints go against all of the studies that have been conducted on the matter. Did you know that 33 percent of all car accidents happen to take place within a mere mile of the driver’s home? If the radius is expanded to 25 miles, this causes the percentage to rise even higher.
Car Accident Prevention
Of course, there are other places that drivers need to be aware of. Once we have left the neighborhood that we live in, there are a wide range of other areas that still need to be monitored. For example, South Florida motorists must always pay close attention to various intersections. Stoplights are also another primary area of concern.
Two lane roads and rural highways may not be grouped together in most instances but they both provide a certain amount of danger that simply cannot be overlooked. Single car accidents are more common on rural highways and multiple car accidents tend to take place on two lane roads. Motorists in both scenarios will often try to pass other cars….at their own peril.
Some experts believe that there is a very powerful reason why we tend to get into accidents when we are closer to home. It is because these are the drives that we make on a consistent basis. Since we make these types of drives so often, our minds start to go into autopilot when we should be focused on the road in front of us.
When the brain starts to rely on muscle memory, this can spell trouble. We need to remain actively focused on the road so that we are not taking anything for granted. Don’t make the mistake of allowing yourself to fall into a comfort zone. This is one of the primary recommendations that a car accident attorney is going to make in these instances.
There is no way for a driver to completely avoid all car accidents. Things happen and they are not always our fault. What we can do is remain tuned in with our surroundings. Sure, you might make that drive every day but you simply never know what may come your way. Stay alert at all times and leave nothing to chance.