Common Driving Challenges

In 1896, London's coroner said, "This must never happen again," after the first vehicle death. According to the WHO, approximately 25 million people died due to car accidents during that period.

No matter how much progress is made in vehicle safety technologies, some 1.2 million people die every year on the world's roadways because of car accidents. That's why completing a Highway Hero Driving Academy driving course is worth the time.

According to research from the World Bank and the World Health Organization, this situation is only worsening. Accidents are happening at an alarming rate. NHTSA data shows that the most significant cause of fatalities among people ages 3 to 33 is not due to any preset safety systems in the cars, but rather the driver's inattention and distraction. All of us should do what we can to avoid inattentive, drunk, and aggressive drivers as much as possible.

The following are the most common adult driving challenges that cause car accidents:

#1 Distracted Driving

The American Automobile Association's Director of Traffic Safety, Mark Edwards, estimates that between 25 and 50 percent of all U.S. car collisions are caused by distracted driving.

Texting, rubbernecking, and slowing down to watch another accident are just a few examples of the 16 percent of accidents caused by driver distraction. As many as 85% of the estimated 100 million mobile phone users frequently chat on their phones while driving, which is a considerable safety risk. According to one study, using a mobile phone while driving quadruples one's collision risk. In addition to weariness, other typical driver distractions include:

• Observing the landscape (10%)

• Other participants, such as children (9%),

• Increasing or decreasing the volume on a CD player or radio (7%)

• Reading newspapers, books, maps, or other types of documentation (less than 2%).

#2 Fatigue in the Driver

Driving while tired is a factor in around 100,000 accidents each year in the United States, with the most significant danger occurring between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. when our circadian rhythms tell us it's time to go to bed. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tired drivers often yawn, drive off the road, and drift off the road. They also operate at varying speeds, don't anticipate traffic, and see objects "jump out" of the road. They are fidgety or restless, and they daydream.

#3 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

Drunk driving is a top cause of accidents, despite enhanced regulations on fines, driver suspensions, and possible jail time of up to ten years for those who injure others while driving.

From 1987 to 2008, the number of deaths decreased, but there have been no significant decreases since then.

Our Highway Hero Driving Acadeny team teaches our students about the dangers of drunk driving through various activities and lectures. Drunk driving can also cause aggressive driving, such as speeding too much, not giving other people the right of way, running red lights, and tailgating.

#4 Dangerously Changing Course

According to collision data, the following is true:

• speeding is a factor in 27% of deaths and 19% of severe injuries.

• 40% of those killed in fatal crashes involving speeding drivers were between the ages of 16 and 24;

• 80% of those killed in such crashes were young adult passengers riding along with the speeding driver;

• 50% of those killed and injured in such crashes were in single-vehicle collisions, and one-third of those killed were the speeding drivers themselves.

Most fatal accidents involving young adult drivers happen on highways in cities at night because there are so many bars, restaurants, and other places that serve alcohol. The more we learn about accidents, the more careful we become on the road, yet accidents may still happen despite our best efforts. Accidents are frightening, no matter how minor they are.

Sound Off

What are some other challenges that adults face while driving? Let us know in the comments!