Back in 2001, Progressive insurance conducted research with over 11,000 people & found that over 52% of reported crashes occurred within five miles from home and 77% of accidents occurred within a 15-mile distance. Two decades later, the latest accident statistics from the NHTSA paints a pretty similar picture.
While there has been a steady drop in the frequencies of car accidents and subsequent serious injuries, the overall tendencies of accidents happening close to home is stressful for several reasons, including:
- Residential neighborhoods in the United States are assumed to be pedestrian-friendly zones where kids, elderly people, disabled people are guaranteed a safe environment. An uptick in distracted driving and accidents closer to home puts all these people at risk.
- Car crashes in residential areas near a driver’s home are sure to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood and disrupt the lives of residents.
- These types of auto accidents are bound to drive down real estate prices within neighborhoods experiencing car accidents on a frequent basis, which subsequently affects homeowners and their abilities to make the most out of their lucrative investments.
Car accidents that occur close to a driver’s home will typically require a personal injury attorney in order for motorists and all types of accident victims to obtain their full, rightful compensation. At Greathouse Trial Law, we’ve been able to obtain the very best possible results for our past clients throughout our law firm’s 10+ years of existence.
So if you or a loved one was involved in an accident within your own neighborhood or close to the other driver’s home, you should contact us for a free consultation so we can review the facts of your accident and put you in the direction for the correct initial steps towards your legal recourse.
Why are People Less Attentive Near Their Homes?
1. Overconfident Drivers
Why most accidents happen? One of the most obvious reasons for frequent accidents close to home is the fact that drivers become overconfident and essentially drive in autopilot when in their comfort zones. There is a tendency for texting, multitasking, not wearing a seat belt, sending emails, dialing a call, or eating a snack while coming back home or leaving home early in the morning, which can lead to an accident.
It’s always imperative that drivers stay alert even when they’re within a few miles of home.
2. Collisions with Parked Vehicles
Parked vehicles along the side of the road in residential neighborhoods can be both victims as well as perpetrators of car accidents close to home, or anywhere. A poorly parked car that isn’t aligned with the designated parking area is simply inviting trouble for the owner because of the general tendencies for drivers to go into autopilot while on familiar roads.
On the other hand, a stationary car is in no way capable of avoiding an oncoming car and can lead to a collision without having done anything wrong. The liability within these types of auto accidents can be somewhat tricky, which is why hiring an experienced car accident attorney is so crucial for your case’s success.
3. Fatigue
Most car accidents that occur within residential areas are not a result of speeding, as speed limits are strictly established and enforced in the United States. However, one factor that cannot be accounted for is the mental state while someone is distracted driving. Long working hours and the subsequent physical and mental exhaustion from work can lead to a lack of attention that is needed for safe driving and can lead to minor or even fatal accidents.
4. Blame it on the Booze
It’s rather common for people to avoid freeways and prefer drinking at a bar or a friend’s place near home when they go out to drink and choose to drive to the destination. While this reduces the chances of an accident on the freeway, it does not rule out late-night drunk driving back home after a wildly successful party. DUIs lead to an estimated 16,000 fatal accidents every year, which is about 40% of the total motor vehicle fatality rate in the United States.
5. Rush Hour
Even the safest drivers are victims of rush hour traffic and are always looking for ways to avoid getting caught in it via their cell phones. This can tend to lead to some early morning rash driving, as people try to beat the 8 a.m. traffic snarl.
However, it often ends up causing more damage in the form of an accident right in your own neighborhood.
6. Underage driving
Residential areas are also where kids with no drivers licenses are often seen driving. This could be a result of some very successful sneaking from the kids or a dangerous indulgence granted by the parents.
Either way, these kids potentially make neighborhood roads dangerous as they are not physically and mentally capable of safe driving.
What Should You Do if You’re a Victim of such an Accident?
If you’ve been injured or suffered damage in an accident in your own neighborhood, you should consider filing a case for remuneration. While the at-fault party may be your neighbor or friend, they cannot overlook the loss of property and peace of mind that a distracted driving accident close to home brings to the victim.
However seriously you choose to pursue the case, it’s crucial that you obtain an experienced car accident attorney to work on your behalf. A good personal injury lawyer brings together experience with the relief of not having to extend yourself with paperwork and court filings, which will subsequently provide you the necessary time to fully recover from the accident. They also understand the rightful settlement that a case deserves and can get you the best possible damages from the negligent driver’s insurance company.
Greathouse Trial Law manages personal injury cases across suburban Atlanta and can help you develop a rock-solid case. To find more about filing personal injury law claims, or to evaluate the facts of your case and determine if it holds merit, contact us for a free consultation.
