Health
Fact-checked

At TheHealthBoard, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What Are the Common Causes of Highway Fatalities?

Gregory Hanson
Gregory Hanson

Unsafe driving practices and poor road design and conditions are among the leading causes of accidents and highway fatalities. Drunk and impaired driving are both major causes of accidents and fatalities. Distracted driving is an increasingly serious problem and causes a substantial number of fatal crashes. Flaws in highway design can make safe driving more difficult, and poor weather conditions can make even the safest vehicles and highways dangerous. The failure of motorists to make use of the safety features in their vehicles is also an important issue, as accidents in which this occurs are more apt to be fatal.

Drunk or otherwise impaired motorists cause many highway fatalities every year. Excessive alcohol consumption leaves drivers largely unable to even operate motor vehicles, but even a modest amount of alcohol will reduce a driver's ability to react to changing traffic conditions. Many other chemicals, some legal and some illegal, impair a driver’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and are a cause of highway fatalities. Simple exhaustion has a similar effect on a driver’s ability to concentrate and make decisions.

Auto accidents can be caused by faulty road designs.
Auto accidents can be caused by faulty road designs.

Distractions are another common cause of highway fatalities. Activities ranging from eating to operating a vehicle’s sound system may take the driver’s attention away from the road and increase the odds of a fatal accident taking place. Use of a cellular phone, especially for sending text messages, has a serious impact on a driver’s ability to avoid accidents. Angry drivers are also a problem, because they tend to make unsafe driving decisions.

Unsafe driving practices contribute to many highway fatalities.
Unsafe driving practices contribute to many highway fatalities.

Many traffic accidents are caused by dangerous road design. In some situations, roads simply cannot be built in a way that guarantees driver safety. Blind intersections, tight corners, and narrow or missing shoulders are hazards that make driving more dangerous. Civil engineers attempt to minimize such risks, but in many cases, roads must be built through geographic features that make perfect safety impossible.

Distracting driving is a growing cause of highway fatalities.
Distracting driving is a growing cause of highway fatalities.

Accidents and highway fatalities are often linked to inclement weather conditions. Rain, snow, and ice all make driving more challenging, both by reducing visibility and by making vehicles less responsive. Cautious defensive driving can minimize these hazards but cannot eliminate them entirely.

A typical modern car is equipped with many safety devices, and using these devices properly can prevent highway fatalities. Seat belts should always be worn by adults, and air bag systems should be checked and maintained to a manufacturer’s specifications. Children should be seated in appropriate safety seats. Motorists who disregard these safety features and systems are no more likely to be involved in accidents, but they are much more likely to die as the result of an accident.

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Auto accidents can be caused by faulty road designs.
      By: Stu
      Auto accidents can be caused by faulty road designs.
    • Unsafe driving practices contribute to many highway fatalities.
      By: Christian Müller
      Unsafe driving practices contribute to many highway fatalities.
    • Distracting driving is a growing cause of highway fatalities.
      By: Vo
      Distracting driving is a growing cause of highway fatalities.
    • Angry drivers are known to be more likely to make bad driving decisions, thus increasing the risk of highway fatalities.
      By: furmananna
      Angry drivers are known to be more likely to make bad driving decisions, thus increasing the risk of highway fatalities.
    • Speeding is a form of unsafe driving that can lead to highway fatalities.
      By: SeanPavonePhoto
      Speeding is a form of unsafe driving that can lead to highway fatalities.
    • Drinking and driving is a major cause of highway fatalities.
      By: Syda Productions
      Drinking and driving is a major cause of highway fatalities.
    • Driving in snow or rain or on icy roads can greatly increase the risk of getting into an accident.
      By: Tomasz Zajda
      Driving in snow or rain or on icy roads can greatly increase the risk of getting into an accident.
    • Some traffic accidents are caused by the faulty design of the highway or road.
      By: Unclesam
      Some traffic accidents are caused by the faulty design of the highway or road.