Most Common Types of Causes of Car Accidents in Brisbane

As of June 2017, Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads had calculated a total of 253 fatalities on Queensland roads. This figure demonstrated a 3.7% increase in fatalities in comparison to the previous year. Car accidents in Brisbane are generally caused by top three contributors-  speeding, drink driving and fatigue.

With our car accident lawyers Brisbane-based and Sydney-based, we see an increasing rate of misfortunes and the effects they have on individuals and their families.

According to our motor accident lawyers in Brisbane, here a few tips on how to prevent incidents:

Speeding

Speed limits are carefully set based on development, infrastructure, traffic signals and other conditions such as street parking.

The faster you go, the shorter the response rate when it comes to braking. Therefore, this means higher impact in the instance of an accident. The average driver takes 1.5 seconds to react in emergencies. The faster you travel, the longer this reaction time. Factors including driver circumstances, vehicle type and environmental factors, often determine reflexes.

Tips to Avoid Speeding

• Maintain a calm approach. Sometimes being tense or anxious can lead to dangerous driving
• Leave earlier. To avoid rushing, and therefore speeding, leave in enough time to promptly arrive at destination
• Keep to speed limit. This involves frequently ensuring rate of travel is according to requirements. This also means driving the appropriate limit for the conditions. For instance, if it is raining, drivers should travel a little slower.

Drink Driving

Drinking slows reaction times, affects your senses and concentration. In Queensland, there are four alcohol limits which are used to apply penalties. These are ‘no alcohol’; general; middle; and high alcohol limits. Each is dependent on the alcohol concentration levels.

It is important to remember that blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is not only dependent on how many drinks you consume but also your weight; overall health; gender; food in your system and more.

Tips to Avoid Drink Driving

• If planning on drinking, make alternative transport arrangements such as assigning designated driver or traveling with Uber
• If designated driver seems unfit to drive, do not allow them to get behind the wheel
• Eat and keep hydrated if planning on having a couple of drinks and then driving - Keep drinking and driving completely divided

Fatigue

Fatigue is a prevalent issue Australia-wide. An estimated 20-30% of fatal crashes are due to fatigue- with this being the third most common contributor in car accidents Brisbane. For this reason, adequate sleep patterns are vital, as well as not operating a vehicle if too tired to do so. Fatigue, like alcohol and speeding affects reaction times and concentration levels. Moreover, fatigue can lead to a micro-sleep which blocks out the entire surroundings in as little as a millisecond.

Tips to Avoid Fatigue

• Stop, revive, survive. Across the country, there are reviver sites on major roads and highways where drivers are encouraged to take a break every couple of hours. These rest areas are available 24/7 and contain other services such as cafes
• Ensure you get adequate sleep, especially before a long drive
• Avoid late night driving where possible, or if there is a long drive ahead, try and alternate drivers if two or more people are traveling
• If taking medication, be aware of any affects this may have such as sleepiness or impaired ability to drive

As mentioned in our previous article, Top 10 Car Accident Contributors, there are many other contributing factors to car accidents. For this reason, it is important to take safety and precautionary measures.

If you have been injured in an accident, our motor accident lawyers in Brisbane will assist with your compensation claim in the best way we can.

Find out more with Prominent Lawyers.

The comments in the article are general in nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Anyone intending to apply the information contained in this newsletter should seek their own professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances. This article is issued as a helpful guide to clients and for their private information. Therefore, it should be regarded as confidential and not be made available to any person without our prior approval.

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