Drivers come up with all sorts of excuses when they crash into you. They blame the road conditions: There was water on the road, they swerved to avoid a pothole. They blame the weather: The sun got in their eyes, a rainstorm obscured their vision. They blame the traffic: It was making me late for work, I had to speed up to stay with the flow. Or they blame you, the person they injure.
Finding out the real cause of a crash is crucial for you to claim compensation for your injuries. Admitting fault is not advisable in a vehicle collision, so do not take a driver at their word.
A 2016 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put driver error as a factor in 94% of fatal crashes. Does that mean we should all look forward to a time when driverless vehicles rule the road? Not necessarily. The NHTSA considers driver error a factor. It does not say it was the only reason a crash happened.
What factors contribute to road safety?
Roads do not appear by chance. People earn money designing them and deciding how to regulate them. If a car traveling at 60 mph hits you as you pull out of your driveway and they are within the speed limit, someone decided it is safe for vehicles to travel fast outside your door. If a car crashes into you at a junction with no stop signals, someone has decided that the intersection does not need controls.
Examining all causes of a vehicle crash will be crucial to claiming compensation for your injuries. Poor road design could be a factor, yet it is the driver who has ultimate responsibility. If the road is poorly designed or maintained, or environmental factors affect it, they should adjust their driving accordingly.