Did you know the majority of vehicular accidents occur within 15 miles of drivers’ homes? It may be surprising, but accidents are more likely to occur when you’re driving in an area that you’re more familiar with. Drivers are frequently less observant and not as cautious when driving on a familiar road.
In this blog, we discuss the statistics relating to near-home traffic accidents, why accidents happen near home, and how to avoid these accidents.
Percentage of Car Accidents Near Home
Different companies and government entities have conducted surveys for discovering the frequency in which accidents occur near the home. In 2001, Progressive Insurance found in a survey that 52% of wrecks occurred within five miles of the drivers’ home and 77% occurred within 15 miles.
An electrical engineering company called Dolphin Technologies discovered that 25% of all car accidents occur within three minutes of a trip and 14% occur within six minutes. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found similar findings that corroborate Progressive Insurance and Dolphin Technologies’ research. They found that 52% of accidents occur within five miles of a driver’s home and 69% occur within ten miles.
Why Most Car Accidents Happen Near Home
Traffic accidents are more likely to occur near the home for many different reasons. Some of them include:
- Underage Driving: Kids and teenagers that are not yet old enough to drive are far more likely to operate a vehicle near their homes. Parents may allow their kids to practice driving while they’re in a residential area with a slower speed limit, or kids could operate their parents’ vehicles without permission.
- Speeding: Residential areas frequently have a relatively slow speed limit because more vehicles enter the road from driveways, and municipalities implement slow speed limits to protect children. People who speed in residential areas can cause minor and serious traffic accidents. Drivers frequently speed in order to make it to their destinations on time, and they could cause an accident soon after leaving their homes.
- Driving While Impaired: Drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol frequently bypass busy roads and interstates to avoid being pulled over, so they often drive in residential areas. Additionally, a driver may be more inclined to drink and drive if they’re closer to their home. Driving under the influence can cause serious accidents, and drinking and driving contributes to 16,000 fatal accidents annually in the United States.
- More Parked Vehicles: Many people park on the street in residential areas, and distracted, impaired, and unobservant drivers may wreck into parked cars.
- More Traffic: Streets near residential areas can become congested because of people driving to and from their work. Reckless drivers may operate their vehicles unsafely in an attempt to avoid getting caught in traffic.
- Driving While Tired: Drivers can cause serious accidents if they operate their vehicles while fatigued. This is frequently an issue near residential neighborhoods because drivers may return home from long days at work or from a night on the town.
- Overconfidence: One incredibly common reason why drivers wreck near their homes is because they’re so familiar with their route. They may drive while distracted by eating or using a cell phone, or they may not pay close attention to the road.
How to Avoid Car Accidents Near Home
Regardless of where you operate your vehicle, you need to drive as safely as possible, and that includes when driving near your home. Follow these safety tips to reduce your likelihood of experiencing a wreck near your residency:
- Follow the Law: Driving close to home or on a route you’re familiar with doesn’t allow you to break the law. You need to abide by all traffic rules and safety precautions, and you should never drive while impaired, fatigued, or distracted.
- Stay Mentally Alert: Driving in an area you know well may lead you to become mentally relaxed and unobservant. You need to remain vigilant while driving at all times to avoid accidents.
- Only Drive When Necessary: When it’s possible and safe, consider biking or walking to your destination if it’s close to your home.
- Increase Your Neighborhood Safety: If there’s a problem with reckless driving on your street, try to enlist others in your neighborhood to help make it safer. You can create a petition to request more safety measures in your neighborhood.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have suffered from a personal injury in Indiana caused by another driver’s negligence, you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for damages and medical bills. You can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to recover vehicle damages, past and future medical bills, lost wages, loss of future earnings, pain and suffering, and more.
Proving your personal injury claim can sometimes be challenging, but you can increase your likelihood of settling or winning your case by contacting a personal injury attorney. They’ll help you gather evidence and present your case.
For seasoned legal support in Indiana, contact the car accident attorneys at Crossen Law Firm. We’ll fight to prove your claim and maximize the amount you’ll receive for your personal injuries.
.jpg)