Many of us get in our cars every day to go to work or school, pick up our kids or run errands. We put on our seat belt and follow the rules of the road, expecting to reach our destination safely.
Unfortunately, not every driver takes these same precautions. They get in their vehicles and engage in the following highly dangerous and risky behaviors that put themselves in danger and threaten other people’s lives.
Dangerous driving habits
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are six risky driving behaviors that are unsafe and, unfortunately, quite common.
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Drugged driving
- Speeding
- Fatigued driving
- Driving while not wearing a seat belt
When people engage in these practices, they may not be capable of operating a vehicle as safely as they need to. And they run the risk of making a collision far worse than it needs to be.
Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue often cannot respond quickly enough to hazards, and their decision-making skills can be compromised.
People who are distracted may have their hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road and their attention focused on something else entirely. As a result, they may not see dangerous conditions in time to avoid them.
Finally, drivers who speed and don’t wear their seat belts increase the risk of death in a collision.
Holding drivers accountable after a crash
Each of these dangerous behaviors reflects a decision on the part of the driver. Every person can choose not to engage in them. So, when a driver who made the wrong choice causes an accident, they should be held accountable for the damage.
Victims of crashes caused by dangerous drivers can experience a great deal of damage. Besides the likelihood of damage to their cars, people can suffer tremendous physical and mental injuries resulting in substantial medical bills, job loss and emotional distress.
As drivers and passengers, we can choose to avoid risky driving behaviors. Unfortunately, we cannot control the actions of others. We can, however, hold them responsible when their decisions cause us harm.