Preconceived ideas about car accidents might lead some to believe they are safe in certain circumstances. The beliefs might be far from reality. For example, a person living in Tennessee might assume a vehicle needs to be well on the way to a destination before accident risks arise. If that were the case, then parking lot mishaps would never occur.
Accidents may happen sooner than believed
Surprisingly, a tremendous number of accidents happen almost immediately after starting a vehicle. Approximately 25% of car accidents happen within the first three minutes of driving, and the figure should not be shocking at all. Once a vehicle goes into motion, the chance for an accident comes into existence. In congested city areas, the prevalence of distracted vehicles, pedestrians and bikes also set the stage for possible collisions.
The driver who does not worry about safety because they “just started” places others at risk. When dealing with congestion, such as parking lots and busy city streets, drivers can’t let their awareness down.
Nor should anyone assume that residential areas or times and places with little activity require less attention. Leaving home and traveling through residential areas might not put a vehicle near scores of other moving vehicles or people, but hitting a parked car or a mailbox might happen. And the driver could hit a person on a bike or a neighbor walking around.
Negligence and a lack of care
A driver that disregards safety because he or she feels excessively comfortable at the earliest point of a trip won’t automatically escape liability claims. Pulling out too fast from a parking space or paying more attention to a touchscreen than the road could reflect negligence.
Multitasking at a trip’s beginning could also get someone into trouble. Starting the car and pulling away and then trying to put on a seatbelt or turn on the radio might lead to avoidable distractions. Drivers may benefit from always paying careful attention to their surroundings.
Car accidents could happen almost anywhere, and collisions might occur even right after turning on the engine. Regardless of where the accident happens, negligence may lead a driver into a lawsuit.
