Top Causes of Car Accidents in the Fall

The top causes of car accidents in the fall are speeding and driving under the influence. As the fall months roll in, so do seasonal hazards that increase the risk of car accidents. The weather cools down, bringing fog and rain, which decrease visibility and cause the roads to become slippery. Back to school and Thanksgiving increase the number of cars on the roads and highways across the U.S. Mix these with alcohol consumption and speeding, and you have a deadly recipe for traffic crashes.

How Seasons Can Impact the Amount of Car Accidents That Occur

Driving a car comes with an assumed level of risk of getting into an accident. Speed, traffic volume, and weather are all factors that affect the likelihood and severity of an auto accident, but they vary depending on the time of the year.

In 2020, more than 35,000 fatal car accidents occurred. This brings us to a common question people ask, “When are car accidents more likely to happen?” According to the National Safety Council, car accidents across the U.S. are more likely to occur during the summer and fall months.

While people may consider winter to be the most dangerous time of the year for driving due to snowy and icy conditions, fall typically comes with more risk. While you won’t have to worry about ice and snow for a few more months, roads can get slippery at any time, especially in fall because of the rain and leaves.

With kids going back to school and more people traveling to visit family and friends during the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays, the number of accidents in the fall also increases.

Weather Conditions

Fall is a period of unpredictable weather patterns. Rain, warm weather, frost, and fog can seemingly pop up in the forecast overnight.

Rain is the number one weather condition known to increase the risk of car accidents during fall. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the first ten minutes after light rain are the most dangerous for drivers. The rain in the fall can make roads and highways slick. This can lead to a reduction in tire traction and contribute to hydroplaning, drastically increasing the chances of the car skidding or spinning out.

The mix of rain and leaves can also create hazardous road conditions. Wet leaves can cause grip issues between the tires and the road surface. Leaves can also hide potholes and road markings.

Rain also decreases visibility when driving. With poor visibility, drivers are unable to see other drivers, pedestrians, and traffic signs.

Fog is also prevalent in the fall. Foggy conditions have been found to be a top cause of car accidents and multi-vehicle pile-ups. Fog, much like rain, decreases visibility and limits a driver’s awareness of distance.

Intense sun glare is another cause of car accidents in the fall. As it begins to get darker outside, drivers face limited visibility in the evening due to the setting sun, making it difficult to see other cars and pedestrians. Sun glare can also obstruct the windshield.

Number of Cars on the Road

The back-to-school season during the fall brings about significant traffic changes in the mornings and evenings. This will result in more cars on the road during those peak hours. Many school zones require slow speeds, which can increase traffic volume. More cars on the road increase the likelihood of accidents.

Halloween and Thanksgiving are incredibly popular holidays that have millions of people traveling by car. Unfortunately, with a spike in vehicle travel comes a spike in car accidents, especially those that involved out-of-state drivers who are unfamiliar with the area they’re visiting.

If you were injured in a car accident in Nevada, contact an attorney immediately for assistance. “How can a car accident lawyer help?” you may ask. Well, an attorney can help you identify liable parties, gather evidence to prove the cause of the accident and your injuries and handle negotiations with the insurance company.

Top Causes of Accidents in Nevada

Serious car accidents occur every day on Nevada roadways. Traffic accident reports for 2021 show that speeding was the leading cause of fatal auto collisions in Nevada. Driving under the influence was also among the top three causes of car accidents. Other common causes of auto collisions include distracted driving and drowsy driving. All these are preventable errors that involve bad judgment and negligence.

Impaired Driving

Fall quickly turns into Thanksgiving and Halloween, which are common holidays for impaired drivers on the road. While driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is against the law in Nevada, it remains a significant, ongoing problem. In 2020, over 90% of traffic fatalities in Nevada involved drunk and drugged driving. Drunk driving alone accounted for more than 40% of serious injuries in traffic collisions between 2014 and 2018. It also accounted for 17% of all fatalities in automobile accidents during the same period.

Operating an automobile while intoxicated can compromise your reaction time and increase the risk of a severe accident. Your limbs take more time to react to the instructions of the brain. It impedes a driver’s vision due to dizziness. What’s more, drugs and alcohol dampen fear and incite humans to take risks.

Speeding

There are speed limits for a reason. They are designed to help drivers safely operate their automobiles and give them enough time to break for other vehicles and obstacles. The primary goal is to prevent accidents. Driving above the legal speed limit is one of the leading causes of severe car accidents. In fact, speeding contributes to one-third of all car accidents in Nevada.

When a driver is speeding, he or she has less time to react and slow down if something unexpected occurs on the road. Braking suddenly is not only dangerous to you, but also to other road users, including pedestrians and other drivers. Vehicles exceeding the speed limit are more prone to collisions than slower ones. The impact and severity of an accident will also be greater when a vehicle is speeding.

Common Injuries From Car Accidents

A car accident can cause severe injuries to almost any part of the body. These injuries can leave victims with physical damage that lasts for years, if not a lifetime. When these injuries happen, getting medical care as soon as possible can be crucial to preventing more health problems.

When drivers, pedestrians, and passengers are involved in a car accident, they could suffer numerous kinds of car accident injuries. Nonetheless, these injuries are generally organized into two different classifications:

Impact injuries: These injuries occur when a passenger strikes any part of the interior of the car or is thrown from the vehicle and strikes the ground or other objects.

Penetrating injury: These are injuries that happen when loose objects flying around the automobile strike a driver or passenger.

Both categories of injuries can be severe. All injuries must be precisely diagnosed by a medical practitioner, so they can be documented for victims who wish to pursue compensation for damage resulting from the collision.

Listed below are some of the most common injuries sustained by motor vehicle accident victims:

• Head and back injuries
•  Concussion
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken or bruised ribs

Other car accident injuries include neck and chest injuries, whiplash, loss of limbs, broken bones, dislocated joints, sprains, and strains.

Knowing what to do after a car accident can go a long way in protecting your right to fair compensation. Immediately after the crash, take photos of the scene, seek medical treatment, and follow your doctor’s instructions without fail.

Recovering Compensation

Car accidents can present the most traumatic experiences an individual can go through. A single moment of negligence can result in significant physical, emotional, and financial losses. A victim’s road to recovery can be long and difficult, and the expenses linked to medical treatment, lost wages, and property damage can quickly add up, leaving victims feeling overwhelmed and desperate.

Compensation for a car accident can be obtained, and it’s important you know the various types of compensation available to you. With the right support and counsel, you can effectively fight for justice and fair compensation.

Damages

The types of damages that you can recover in a car accident claim include:

Economic damages: These are tangible losses like lost wages, medical bills, and property damage.

Non-economic damages: These are intangibles losses like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress.

In some cases, the court may award punitive damages to punish the defendant party for particularly egregious conduct.

Get Help When You File a Car Accident Claim in Nevada

If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence and are confused, worried, and unsure of what to do, an Elko car accident lawyer may provide the help and support you need. An attorney will investigate your case, explain your options, and guide you through the accident claims process.