Everyone just wants to get where they are going, and for the most part, everyone does a decent job of making that happen. In many areas of Texas, including San Antonio to some degree, driving is an essential mode of transportation. Even though many of the state’s cities have areas where walking and bicycling are popular and viable ways to get around, driving still reigns supreme.
This means that, every day, you share the roads with thousands of other drivers. Depending on where you live, that number can be quite high. Therefore, everyone needs to follow the rules in order to help make sure that everyone gets to his or her destinations safely. When unsafe behaviors become part of the mix, it can throw off the balance and lead to serious accidents.
Types of unsafe driving behaviors
When police begin investigating an accident, they look for unsafe driving behaviors such as the following:
- Drunk driving — They attempt to determine at the scene whether any of the drivers involved got behind the wheel drunk. Most people already know this behavior is unsafe, but they do it anyway.
- Speeding — Nearly everyone speeds from time to time, but some drivers believe that the posted speed limits are suggestions that don’t apply to them.
- Drowsy driving — Many people may not even realize that their sleep deprivation makes them dangerous on the road. In fact, missing a certain amount of sleep makes a driver just as dangerous as a drunk one.
- Distracted driving — Cell phones, infotainment systems and passengers, along with other distractions, take a driver’s attention off the road. During that time, the traffic pattern could change significantly, and the driver has no time to react.
Even people who drive when they are angry can quickly become unsafe. In reality, most people do try to be safe on the roads. You know that the way you drive affects the safety of everyone, but sometimes, you just can’t help but go a few miles over the speed limit, glance at the GPS or even drive to work after not getting enough sleep.
Despite your best efforts, you can’t predict whether the drivers of the vehicles around you pay attention. If they don’t, and one of them makes a mistake that causes you serious injuries, you may exercise your right to seek compensation from the other driver. Proving that negligence caused or contributed to your injuries could result in an award of damages.