5 Common Reasons People Lose Control When Driving

The objective of defensive driving is to be aware of your environment and do everything possible to avoid an accident. Unfortunately, it is not always a given that defensive driving will save you from a road mishap. Accidents can happen even after observing all the road safety regulations. How quickly you react to such situations can save lives, avoid injuries and minimize auto damage. Sometimes, however, drivers lose vehicle control, contributing to over six million accidents each year. It is a good idea to be aware of some of the risks of being on the road to prevent their occurrence as much as possible. Below is a discussion on why some drivers lose control.

1. Mechanical failure

Statistics indicate that 10% of yearly auto accidents result from mechanical failure. These faults may happen suddenly or have shown signs of deterioration days or weeks earlier. It might be their fault if the driver ignored signs of mechanical failure before an accident. However, if the mechanical fault developed suddenly, it could catch the driver off-guard.

Whichever way you look at it, a mechanical failure can cause the person behind the wheel to lose control of the vehicle. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the most common failures come from the tires, brakes, engine, steering, and transmission. The best way to avoid a mechanical failure while driving is to take better care of your car. Regular servicing increases the chances of noticing these problems before they get out of hand.

2. Fatigue

Driving requires rapt attention and constant coordination between the eyes, legs, and arms. However, when a driver is tired, coordination is severely impacted. Reaction times become slower, increasing the risks of an accident. Experts say when fatigue sets in, there is a gradual attention withdrawal from the road. Long hours of being on the road can tire the eyes out. It also impacts the ability to concentrate on happenings on the road.

According to the National Safety Commission, a fatigued driver is three times more likely to be involved in a car accident. The risks are higher when it’s nighttime. The Commission also reported that an exhausted driver is twice as likely to miss a crucial activity on the road, leading to poor reaction times. This is why it is advisable to rest adequately before getting behind the wheel. It is also worth noting that fatigue is often the cause of most road accidents. 

3. Driving under influence

According to the CDC, driving under the influence is the cause of at least 29 road fatalities yearly. In the US, any driver above age 21 is charged for breaking this road safety law. As stated earlier, driving requires mental alertness but alcohol or any other psychoactive substance reduces focus. Therefore, in a situation that requires sharp reflexes on the road and mental alertness, the driver has a reduced chance of turning things around. In the US, any alcohol concentration reading above 0.08% is all it takes to get charged for drunk driving. If charged, your best bet is to find an experienced DUI lawyer to take up the case.

It would be their responsibility to prove whether the alcohol percentage recorded was enough to interfere with your judgment. Your DUI charge can be dropped purely on technical grounds if you are fortunate enough. Data released in January 2022 showed some progress made in some US states against drunk driving. Alaska, Arizona, California, and Arkansas are examples of states that recorded a significant reduction in DUI charges and associated fines. On the other hand, South & North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana recorded increased DUI cases from January this year.

4. Weather conditions

A snowstorm or heavy rains severely impact road visibility. Data indicates that road users are three times more likely to drive into a tree or a roadblock in extreme weather. A report by the National Safety Commission also indicated that visibility could be impacted by as much as 65% in poor weather conditions. Automatically, this increases a driver’s risk of losing control of the vehicle when something unexpected happens on the road.

Inclement weather is listed among the top ten causes of accidents on the road. Statistics also indicate that four out of seven car accidents occur due to poor visibility. With winter around the corner, taking extra precautions on the road is crucial. The combination of ice, fog, and poor tire traction increases the risk of losing vehicle control. Moreover, too many incidents happen on the road at this time of year. This means paying more attention when you get behind the wheel.

5. Aggressive driving

While some people subscribe to defensive skills, others, unfortunately, have the habit of engaging in aggressive driving. This is when a driver flouts several traffic rules and endangers lives and property. People caught driving this way often throw caution to the wind. Indeed, apart from a police officer, very little can be done to stop an aggressive driver. A police officer has the power to issue a ticket, but drivers can fight stunt driving ticket charges based on a wide variety of factors. For example, a lack of signage may explain why someone was speeding, which can result in charges being dropped. Even so, speeding drivers will have little to no control over the vehicle if something unexpected happens on the road.

With this type of driving, reaction time is greatly reduced, and the vehicle will likely suffer more damage. Overspeeding and wrongful switching of lanes are examples of aggressive driving. With the former, the driver will likely lose control of the vehicle because it moves rapidly, reducing reaction time. According to experts, two things happen when a driver loses control of a vehicle. The first is delayed reflexes, and the second is a lack of proper judgment. These two contribute to why many drivers fail to make quick decisions to save lives and property on the road, so keep this in mind.

To conclude, anything can make a driver lose control of a car. However, there is a chance of saving the situation when they drive more defensively. Insurance and having a lawyer can help you sort out any issues in case you get into an accident. However, prevention is always better than cure.