ACCIDENT NUMBER 1 (ABOVE) -Failing to Yield

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS SCENARIO?
1- Vehicles 1 and 2 are both traveling westbound on the roadway.
2- Vehicle 3 is traveling eastbound, and drives into the LEFT TURN ONLY LANE - to turn left.
3- Vehicle 2 stops, or slows down, and gives permission to Vehicle 3 to turn left.
4- Vehicle 3 proceeds to turn left, which vehicle 2 allowed him to do so.
5- BUT...Vehicle 1, UNABLE TO READ THE MIND OF VEHICLE 2, continues on, and then struck Vehicle 3.

WHO IS AT FAULT?
1- VEHICLE 3 is at fault, guilty of Failure To Yield From Left Turn (or whatever charge is appropriate in your state/country)
2- Vehicle 1 was not obligated to stop
3- Vehicle 2 SHOULD HAVE NEVER given permission to Vehicle 3 to turn in front of him

SUMMARY -
1- Vehicle 1 is obligated, of course to pay attention while driving. However, Vehicle 3 “Failed to Yield Turning Left.”

2- Vehicle 1 had no idea that Vehicle 2 had given permission to Vehicle 3 to turn in front of them.

3- VEHICLE 2 SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN PERMISSION TO VEHICLE 3 TO TURN IN FRONT OF THEM

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN?
Do NOT grant permission for people to turn in front of you if you are driving in a multi-lane road way!!

The drivers in other lanes HAVE NO IDEA that you have granted permission for someone to turn in front of you!

Do NOT try to be so “nice” - it may get someone hurt - or worse!
AS A MATTER OF FACT - IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU NEVER LET ANYONE TURN IN FRONT OF YOU!

And remember - when turning left, it is difficult to judge oncoming traffic - especially if the oncoming vehicle is a motorcycle. Watch the video below.

OTHER CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

TIRED DRIVERS - According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there may be as many as 100,000 crashes from driver fatigue each year, with an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 people injured, causing $12.5 billion economic losses.

CELL PHONE USERS - Several studies show cell phones are a leading cause of car crashes. It is estimated that cell phone distracted drivers are four times more likely to be in a car wreck.

But probably more than anything, that which contributes to car wrecks is DRIVER INATTENTION!

Deaths and Injuries on our roadways are mostly because we are simply not paying attention!

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER...TRUST OTHER DRIVERS.

NEVER ASSUME THAT THEY HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS IN MIND.
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY.

ACCIDENT #2

ACCIDENT NUMBER 2 (Following too Close)

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS SCENARIO?
Vehicles 1 and 2 are both traveling, let’s say, southbound on Main Street.
Vehicle 2 is in front of Vehicle 1
Vehicle 2 slows down, or maybe even stops, and Vehicle 1 then strikes Vehicle 2 in the rear.

WHO IS AT FAULT?
Vehicle 1 is at fault - the charge would be Following Too Close

SUMMARY -
Vehicle 1 may argue that “Vehicle 2 stopped for no reason...”
But that will be totally irrelevant.

If Vehicle 1 had been following Vehicle 2 at a safe and lawful distance, Vehicle 1 should have been able to stop before    striking Vehicle 2.

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHY VEHICLE 2 STOPPED, OR SLOWED DOWN, Vehicle 1 is obligated to stay at a safe distance, ready to stop, or slow down, should any vehicle in front of him/her stop or slow sown. Even if snow and ice are on the road, it will still be irrelevant. If weather conditions were bad, Vehicle 1 should have
stayed back at an even farther distance.

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN?
Always pay attention to traffic in front of you: BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN STOPS AND SLOW DOWNS.

Following Too Closely violations are because drivers ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.

It will N-E-V-E-R do you any good to argue, “But the driver in front of me just all of a sudden stopped...”

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ACCIDENT NUMBER 3

OK - Here’s the scenario: You are at a stop sign and you want to turn left (or right, or go straight ahead). There is another vehicle coming from your left WHO HAS HIS BLINKER ON THAT INDICATES HE INTENDS TO TURN RIGHT. So, you start to turn left (or right, or even straight ahead), thinking he was going to turn right. You pull out and he hits you. Who is at fault? YOU ARE! Even though he had his blinker on, that will not help you. You had a stop sign and the charge will read failure to yield from a stop sign. So, you must never pull out until the car with the blinker on turns and is no longer a threat to you.

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CHANGING LANES UNSAFELY IS ALSO A MAJOR
CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS.

Before you change lanes, you MUST look in your outside mirrors, AND, you should also look behind and beside you.

It could be that your outside mirrors are not adjusted properly. Click on the video below and watch these simple instructions about proper adjustment of your outside mirrors.