A spate of accidents on local roadways over the weekend prompted me to offer the following statistics regarding injury and fatality accidents.
While most people equate long-distance trips with vehicle accidents - often it is just the opposite that is true. Drivers who are just taking the car to run down the street for a last minute grocery item (or the like) have just as much of a chance of being in an auto accident as someone traveling on the highway at 70-80 miles an hour.
That is because the 'local' driver may drive with less regard for their safety believing (mistakenly) that they won't be in an accident.
Driving on city roads requires as much - if not more - attention than highway driving because there are so many things going on at the same time. Drivers are changing lanes; pedestrians and bike and motorcycle riders are darting in and out (counting on the drivers to be paying attention) and, finally, the local driver allows themselves to drive distractedly because they are on a simple errand.
However, this same errant thinking spills over into drivers who tend to take the same highway routes every day as well. Those who take the same commute each day will put their minds on auto-pilot and take care of other business - like bill-paying or even handling business matters over the phone.
It only takes a moment to change the course of your (and others) life forever. Give driving the full attention it deserves - just in case someone else is not.
Greg Baumgartner is a Texas truck accident lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping personal injury victims seek civil justice. If you would like to speak with a Texas semi truck accident lawyer call the Baumgartner firm.
