Oklahoma Car Accidents - Causes of Vehicle Accidents in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Car Accidents - Causes of Vehicle Accidents in Oklahoma
Distracted driving and speeding is the major cause of Oklahoma car accidents. Distracted drivers cause the vast majority of serious injury vehicle accidents according to The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. The Oklahoma Highway Safety office has said that accidents caused by distracted drivers involve all types of vehicles and are not limited to passenger cars.
Oklahoma Crash Data and Statistics reveals that driver distractions are one of the top causes of vehicle accidents and most national data sources indicates that driver distractions are the number one cause of vehicle accidents in the United States. The amount of damages caused by these accidents cost billions of dollars every year through the country.
Here are some common real-world examples of driving distractions in Oklahoma:
Sending or receiving test messages while driving...
Reaching for an object inside the vehicle while driving...
Cell phone usage while driving...
Looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle...
Eating while driving...
Applying makeup while driving...
According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80% of automobile accidents involve at least some form of driver distraction within three seconds of the crash and most states including Oklahoma backs up this study.
The Three Second Rule
Speeding is a contributing factor in at least 30% of all fatal crashes in Oklahoma. The economic cost to the society of speeding-related crashes is estimated by the NHTSA to be $28 billion per year nationwide. The economic cost to Oklahoma is also extremely high and speeding is a deliberate and calculated behavior where Oklahoma drivers know the risk but ignores the danger.
Fully 90 percent of all licensed drivers speed at some point in their driving career, and 75 percent admit to committing this offense regularly. To prevent speeding car accidents, drivers should observe the three-second rule, no matter what speed you're driving.
This is how the three-second rule works: While driving, pick out a sign or pole on the side of the road. When the car in front of you passes it, count off three seconds. The front of your vehicle should not reach the marker before your reach the count of three. If you pass the marker before you reach the count of three, back off and try again.