Our civilization has come a long way over time. From the era of hitting rocks together to make fire, to the age of being connected with virtually anyone at the touch of a screen or button, it seems as if we are living in a completely different world than our early ancestors did. Getting from place to place has become as simple as getting behind the wheel of a vehicle and taking off.
However, with these advances in technology has come a greater responsibility that not everyone takes seriously enough. When you start to take a look at the number of car accidents that occur, and the reasons behind them, you might begin to wonder how advanced we actually are.
When you should be looking at attorneys
There are a number of reasons that could lead to the necessity for you to be browsing local attorneys to help protect your rights. Often, being involved in a car crash could lead to the need for a lawyer for personal injury. Or you may be looking at getting a good legal team to help you sort out the aftermath of driving under the influence. Whatever the case may be, know that attorneys will almost always have more information and experience than you do in dealing with the matter. If you were the driver at fault, as difficult as it will be, you need to face the consequences of your actions. But having the right attorney will ensure that your rights are protected as you do face those consequences.
Responsible driving could solve so much
Everyone goes through driving courses that are basically the same. Some people are even taught how to drive before that, by friends or family members, giving them more experience and an early start on learning to handle the vehicle, though this is not encouraged by the law. The ways of the road and the laws on driving are clear, and the reasoning behind them are as well. Yet, each and every day, there are those individuals who find a reason to break the rules, or to consider themselves exempt from those rules.
Over the course of one year, more than 10 million people admitted to driving while being under the influence of illicit drugs. Every single day, there are around 300,000 cases of individuals getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, but not even 4,000 of them are arrested. Every year, drunk driving costs the United States $199 billion, and that is not even to mention the tragic loss of life that often occurs. Driving is serious business, and a major responsibility. But it is not just the drunk drivers who are causing accidents.
Everyone must be responsible
Drunk driving is far too prevalent, it’s true. But driving drunk is not the only way to cause an accident. There are so many factors that you should be careful to avoid when getting behind the wheel. When examining the fatalities that resulted from a car crash, 32% were from drunk driving, 31% were from speeding, 16% were from distraction, and 11% were the result of weather conditions.
Think about texting, something that just about everyone does, and many people believe that they are good enough at to manage doing while driving, despite knowing the risks. Just five seconds is the average amount of time that you have your eyes off of the road and on your phone when you are texting. Five seconds sure does not seem like a lot of time, except when you consider that when you are moving at 55 miles per hour, you can travel the length of a football field in those five seconds, and you’re doing so essentially blindfolded when you are looking at your phone instead of the road.
Attorneys can help to protect your rights after a crash. But you can take strides to protect yourself before it even comes to that, by driving responsibly.