What Are the Top Causes of Car Accidents?

For many of us, driving is a significant part of our day-to-day lives, but with so many vehicles on the road today, the unfortunate reality is that car accidents are one of the leading causes of accidental injury and death in the U.S. In 2024, an estimated 2.42 million people were injured and 39,254 were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Here in Virginia, traffic accidents caused 64,086 injuries and 918 deaths that same year.

While some collisions happen due to external factors, such as poor weather conditions or wildlife, most car accidents result from some form of driver negligence. Below, we’ll review some of the most common car accident causes according to the most recent 2024 report from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, how to reduce your risk while driving, and why consulting an experienced Virginia car accident attorney is essential if you were involved in a crash.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is an umbrella term that describes any behavior that might divert a driver’s eyes from the road. This may include texting or talking on the phone, eating or drinking, adjusting a GPS, or engaging with passengers.

In 2024, Virginia recorded 20,758 crashes involving a distracted driver. Those crashes injured 11,256 people and killed 90. Overall, distracted driving was involved in 16.1% of all traffic crashes reported in the Commonwealth.

Phones are not the only source of distraction. Virginia’s three most commonly reported distraction categories were taking one’s eyes off the road, using a cell phone or texting, and looking at a roadside incident.

Drivers can reduce the risk by setting navigation before leaving, putting phones out of reach, and waiting until they are safely parked to answer calls or messages. Even a few seconds of inattention can prevent a driver from reacting to changing traffic conditions in time.

Speeding

Whether drivers speed because they are late or simply for the thrill of it, speeding is an incredibly dangerous behavior that can not only raise the risk of an accident but also its potential severity.

Virginia reported 25,705 speed-related crashes in 2024, resulting in 13,743 injuries and 410 deaths. Speed was involved in approximately one out of every five crashes but nearly 45% of all fatal car accidents in the state, demonstrating how much more severe these collisions can be.

Drivers should follow posted speed limits and slow down further when traffic, visibility, curves, construction, or road conditions make the posted limit unsafe. Driving too fast for existing conditions can be dangerous even when the vehicle is technically below the speed limit.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

Driving under the influence ranks high on the list when it comes to the top causes of car accidents. This type of behavior is defined as operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs—even legal ones.

In 2024, Virginia recorded 6,767 drunk driving crashes that caused 4,306 injuries and 318 deaths. Although alcohol-related crashes represented only 5.2% of all reported collisions, they accounted for 34.6% of Virginia’s traffic fatalities.

While it can be difficult to know in the moment whether you are under the legal alcohol limit, it’s always safest to have others drive for you, whether it’s a taxi, rideshare, or public transportation. If you’re unsure whether your prescription drugs may impact your ability to safely operate a vehicle, be sure to ask your healthcare provider.

Failure to Obey Traffic Laws

Traffic laws exist to protect you and other drivers from getting into preventable accidents. When these laws are ignored, the risk of injury and even death is heightened.

Among drivers involved in Virginia crashes during 2024, police reports recorded 26,548 instances of following too closely, 18,032 failures to yield, 10,497 unsafe lane changes, and 7,498 instances of running a traffic control.

These violations commonly occur when drivers leave too little space to stop safely, change lanes without signaling or checking blind spots, turn before confirming that oncoming traffic has cleared, or enter an intersection without yielding to the vehicle that has the right of way. Slowing down, signaling early, and checking surrounding traffic before moving can prevent many of these crashes.

What If Another Driver Causes a Car Crash?

Even experienced drivers who follow traffic laws, avoid distractions, maintain a safe speed, and take every reasonable precaution can still be injured because of another driver’s choices. In some crashes, responsibility may appear straightforward. A driver may run a red light, rear-end a stopped vehicle, or cross into another lane. In others, fault may not be as clear-cut.

In either case, it’s worth speaking with a car accident attorney. What many drivers don’t realize until they are involved in a crash is that car accident claims can be incredibly complex. One key reason why is Virginia’s contributory negligence rule. Under this rule, an injured victim may not recover compensation if they contributed in any way to the accident. This means that insurance companies will often attempt to shift blame onto the victim in order to avoid a payout, and you must be prepared to prove that the other driver was 100% responsible for your injuries.

Proving fault may require evidence beyond the police report, such as photographs of the scene and vehicle damage, witness statements, traffic-camera footage, cell phone records, or electronic vehicle data. These are not always easy to acquire on your own, and when you involve an attorney early in the process, they can help you gather and preserve this information before it is lost.

How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

A car accident lawyer’s role goes beyond just gathering evidence and filling out paperwork. An attorney works to evaluate how the crash affected every part of your life and calculates the full value of your claim. That may include not only your immediate medical expenses and lost income, but also pain and suffering, future treatment costs, reduced earning ability, and other losses that injured drivers often overlook or underestimate.

An attorney’s role also extends to negotiating directly with the insurance company. This includes challenging common arguments that could reduce the value of your claim, such as that your injuries were preexisting or your treatment was unnecessary. If the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, an experienced lawyer will also be prepared to file a lawsuit and take your case to court.

Ultimately, having a knowledgeable personal injury attorney on your side after an automobile accident often gives you a better chance of recovering compensation that reflects the full extent of your losses rather than simply accepting what the insurance company is initially willing to pay.

If You’ve Been in a Crash, Let Our Virginia Car Accident Lawyers Fight for You

Many things can go wrong while out on the road, and understanding how many car accidents happen is essential for reducing your risk. That being said, even the most experienced and prepared drivers can’t always avoid an accident and may fall victim to the negligence of others.

When a serious accident causes injuries, determining what happened, and proving it with evidence, can affect whether you are able to receive compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. A lawyer can investigate the cause, preserve important evidence, respond to attempts to shift blame, and pursue a claim against the responsible party.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or death due to a motor vehicle accident in Virginia, we encourage you to contact Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law for a free consultation to review your options.