Common Causes For At-Fault Accidents

An at-fault accident is one that you cause while you are driving. If you cause the accident, you automatically receive the label of the at-fault driver. Anytime you cause an accident, you will need to work out your claim and settlement with your insurance company. If you have the right types of coverages, your insurance company will pay the claims. If you do not, though, you would have to pay for the repairs and damages out of your own pocket. Here are some of the most common causes of at-fault accidents.

Bad road conditions

When the roads are bad, it is your responsibility to adjust your driving to make sure you are safe. If you normally travel 60 miles per hour down a particular road, you should slow down if the road is wet or icy. If you do not adjust for this, you could easily end up causing an accident. Accidents caused by bad road conditions are considered the fault of the person driving, even if he or she took extra precautions to avoid accidents.

Distractions

One of the most common causes of at-fault accidents is due to distractions while driving. If you text, for example, while you are behind the wheel of your car, you will instantly have a much higher risk of getting into an accident. This is the reason that texting while driving is illegal. Many accidents happen every year from this one event. There are other ways you can also be distracted while driving, including looking up things on your phone, listening to music that is too loud, talking on the phone, eating while driving, or adjusting the radio station you are listening to. You can avoid accidents caused by distractions by paying close attention to the roads and driving instead of doing other things while you are driving.

Animals running across the road

Another common type of at-fault accident is due to animals crossing the road. When a deer decides to cross the road, it does not stop and look both ways. Instead, it randomly darts across the road, and it could do this right as you are driving by. It is hard to avoid animal accidents, but these are generally considered to be the fault of the driver.

If you have comprehensive and collision coverages when you cause an accident, your insurance company will likely pay the total of the claim. If you are not sure what coverages you have or need, talk to an insurance agent today.

For more information about auto insurance, contact a company like Crowel Agency, Inc.