Phoenix roads are generally safe to drive in. However, the city reports hundreds of accidents every day. In 2021 alone, about 24,000 people were hurt in Phoenix car accidents. Although every road accident is unique, there are common factors that contribute to most crashes. Knowing what causes these accidents can help you avoid dangerous situations that increase the risk of being in a collision.
This article discusses some reasons car accidents happen in Phoenix and how you can protect yourself against road accidents.
Failure to Yield the Right Way
Failure to yield occurs when a vehicle doesn’t allow another vehicle to proceed in a lane first, yet they are required to do so by traffic laws. It mostly happens when one driver doesn’t pay attention or when they don’t understand their obligation to yield. Some of the most common ways that a car can cause an accident for failing to yield include:
- When a driver carelessly changes lanes and collides with a car in the next lane, traveling in the same direction
- When a driver fails to stop at a red light, stop sign, or yield sign
- When a driver carelessly turns left at an intersection
- When a driver fails to yield to other vehicles when entering a highway
Speeding
Phoenix drivers have been ranked as some of the most aggressive drivers in the country, with the worst incidences involving speeding. Speeding means driving above the speed limit or simply driving too fast for weather, road, or traffic conditions. When you drive too fast, you reduce your ability to react to what’s happening around you. It also takes longer for your car to come to a full stop, increasing the likelihood of a crash.
Some common accidents that result from overspeeding include:
- Rear-End Collisions: Speeding affects your ability to react to sudden changes in traffic flow. For instance, when the vehicle ahead of you decelerates or stops suddenly, you are likely to rear-end them, especially if you follow too closely.
- Head-On collisions: Driving at high speeds decreases your ability to control the vehicle. This might cause your vehicle to drift into the opposite lane and collide with oncoming vehicles.
- Rollover Accidents: A vehicle moving at a high speed can tip and roll when it encounters an obstacle or attempts to make a sharp turn. Taller vehicles like SUVs and trailers are especially susceptible to rollover accidents due to their higher center of gravity.
- Side-Impact Crashes: Speeding can impair your ability to judge timing and distance accurately at an intersection, causing a T-bone collision with another vehicle moving through the intersection.
That said, you should follow speeding regulations to reduce your chances of getting into speed-related accidents. You should also be careful around speeding drivers by doing the following:
- Get out of the way of a speeding car.
- Identify possible alternate routes.
- Concentrate, relax, and pay attention to the road.
- Do not express frustration around speeding drivers or use the same tactics as them.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is driving while engaging in other activities that divert your attention from the road. It’s a leading cause of accidents, especially among young drivers. Some of the most common driving distractions behind car accidents in Phoenix include:
- Using a cell phone while driving: Texting or talking on the phone diverts your attention from the road. This reduces your ability to make necessary decisions or react appropriately to road conditions.
- Looking away from the road: Taking your eyes off the road even for five seconds can cause a serious or potentially fatal accident, especially if you’re driving at a high speed. Anything in or outside the car that causes you to look away from the road is considered a distraction. This could be passengers, pets, or pedestrians on the sidewalk.
- Eating and drinking while driving: You should always eat before or after getting behind the wheel, even if you have a hectic schedule. Eating and driving often involves balancing objects, switching hands, and generally, looking away from the road, which increases your chances of being in an accident.
- Daydreaming: Most drivers tend to daydream when they are tired or driving through a familiar road. When you daydream while driving, you may feel totally aware of your surroundings, but you’re not really seeing what you’re looking at. This reduces your ability to react to potentially dangerous road situations.
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents not just in Phoenix but all over the world. That’s why courts penalize drivers so harshly for driving under the influence. Here’s why you are more likely to get into an accident when you drink and drive:
- Impaired Reaction Time: Alcohol slows your reflexes, reducing your ability to swiftly respond to sudden changes in the road, such as another vehicle stopping abruptly or a pedestrian stepping onto the road.
- Compromised Judgment: Consuming alcohol impairs your judgment, increasing your likelihood of making risky decisions, such as running the red light, tailgating, or speeding.
- Blurred Vision: Drinking too much alcohol can blur your vision, making it difficult to judge distances and see objects clearly in front. This puts you at a high risk of car collisions.
- Reduced Coordination: Alcohol impairs your eye-hand coordination, making it harder to steer correctly, change lanes smoothly, and brake quickly.
Youth and Inexperience
It’s common for new drivers to get into a car crash within the first years of getting a license. That’s mainly because:
- Young drivers are less skilled at recognizing and reacting to dangerous road situations.
- Young drivers are likely to make serious errors in judgment, leading to catastrophic road accidents.
- Most young drivers feel the need to do certain things like overspeeding or overtaking recklessly to show off to their peers.
These actions not only put their lives at risk but can also endanger the lives of other drivers and passengers. This is why many states don’t allow teenagers to carry passengers in their cars until they’re older.
Stay Safe on the Road
Car accidents are common in Phoenix. These crashes are mainly caused by speeding, drunk driving, failure to yield the right way, and inexperienced youths. While you can’t control how other drivers act, you can always reduce your chances of getting into an accident by being careful on the road. Remember, you have a right to be compensated should you be injured in an accident resulting from someone else’s fault.
