Car accidents in Western Australia continue to be a significant road safety concern, with recent Australian Government data showing a 2.7% increase in road fatalities over the past 12 months, the largest spike since 2018. Understanding the primary causes of motor vehicle accidents can help drivers take preventative measures and stay safer on WA roads.
Speed remains the leading cause of car accidents across Australia, contributing to loss of vehicle control, increased braking distances, and reduced reaction times. However, several other factors significantly contribute to motor vehicle collisions, including alcohol impairment, failure to give way at intersections, driver fatigue, distractions such as mobile phone use, and vehicle defects like worn tyres or faulty brakes.
Western Australian drivers can reduce their accident risk by adhering to speed limits, maintaining proper following distances, avoiding mobile phone use while driving, ensuring regular vehicle maintenance, and never driving while fatigued or under the influence of alcohol. This article examines the major causes of car accidents in Australia and provides evidence-based road safety guidance for WA motorists.
Speed
Speed is the number one cause of car accidents in Australia. Driving over the speed limit can result in you:
- Losing control of the vehicle.
- Increasing your braking distance, reducing your ability to avoid collision
- decreasing your reaction time to sudden changes on the road
- exposing yourself and passengers to undue road accident risks and possibly severe damage and injuries.
Alcohol
Alcohol affects your ability to control movement. It also dulls your reflexes and interferes with proper eye coordination, leading to miscalculations and reckless driving.
Failing to give way
You can cause an accident by failing to give way:
- At intersections when traffic lights are faulty, or there is no stop sign or give way sign
- When pedestrians rush to cross the road as traffic lights flash yellow
- When there is a clear give-way sign
- When you are changing lanes
Failing to give way can endanger your life and those of others.
Driver fatigue
Driving when tired is like driving under the influence of alcohol. Fatigue significantly affects your reaction time and awareness of road hazards and traffic signs.
Driver distraction
If you are texting, talking, looking at your mobile phone, or dealing with crying children while driving, your attention shifts from the road and everything around you. If you’re distracted, you can miss traffic signs, so you risk colliding with another vehicle, an object on the road, or a pedestrian.
Vehicle Defects
Defective brakes, bald tyres, a faulty ignition switch, or wheel alignment issues can all contribute to causing a fatal car accident. Ensure you service your car regularly to avoid problems.
Road Safety
Use these tips to stay safe when driving:
- Obey the speed limit and drive to the weather and road conditions
- Use your turn signals
- Wear a seatbelt
- Stop at red lights
- Wait until your engine is off before using your phone
- Don’t drive tired
- Leave room between you and the car in front to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision.
Choose Soul Legal – experienced car accident lawyers
Soul Legal are experienced car accident lawyers who can help you with your motor vehicle accident claim. We’ll take the stress, worry, and confusion out of managing your motor vehicle accident personal injury claims or car accident compensation claims in Perth. Ask us about our NO WIN – NO FEE guarantee.
Contact one of our Perth motor injury lawyers at Soul Legal today for your FREE no-obligation claims assessment.
Rebecca Sorgiovanni is the Director of Soul Legal, a trusted Perth-based injury compensation lawyer with over two decades of experience representing injured clients in complex litigation and tribunals across Western Australia.
