Brampton personal injury lawyers are aware that most motor-vehicle mishaps that are termed “accidents” are rarely accidental. Instead, they can be traced down to someone’s fault or negligence, deliberate flouting of safety norms, behavior, habits, etc.

Unfortunately, these events result in tragic physical, financial and emotional consequences for the injured victims and their families. The impact of the accident can change the entire course of someone’s life. Death and disability impose a permanent and irrevocable burden on all those close to the victim.

Studies are regularly conducted on the causes of such accidents and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) release data that pinpoint some of the causes of accidents.

The Top 4 or Big 4 causes of motor-vehicle accidents are:

• Distractions
• Speeding
• Not Wearing Seat-belt
• Impaired driving

These factors play an important part in causing crashes and they also affect the kind of injuries suffered by drivers and passengers when a collision happens.

The behavior of drivers and passengers is another equally important criterion. Common mistakes that cause serious collisions have been analyzed by traffic and accident experts. These include:

• Negligence while turning
• Wrong use of seat-belt
• Unrestrained pets
• Not maintaining lane discipline
• Improper maintenance of vehicle
• Driving when drowsy, fatigued or under the influence of alcohol/prescription drugs etc

and many more simple acts of carelessness or deliberate flouting of safety rules.

There are many organizations across Ontario that help to create awareness  about driving and road safety.

Often, the causes of car crashes is put down to speeding. However, speeding is not the only factor. Many pedestrians are killed even in low speed limit zones. This could be because of other aspects like poor visibility, non-functioning crosswalk signals, careless and reckless driving in school-zones, taking sudden U-turns where they’re not permitted etc.

Another reason could be the huge rise in the population of cities like Toronto. The population has doubled in the GTA over the last thirty years, causing an enormous burden on the city’s infrastructure and transportation systems. Mixed traffic on city streets includes pedestrians, cyclists, public and private transportation. Lower speed limits may not solve the problem unless all those who share the road behave with due responsibility and diligence.

Senior citizens and children are among the most vulnerable of pedestrians and they’re also the ones who suffer serious injuries in motor-vehicle collisions. Pedestrians, walkers, runners and joggers are also at risk if they don’t wear reflective clothing and stay alert when they’re out on the street.

A ten year long study conducted by OPP shows that most of the fatalities that took place over the last decade on Ontario roads could have been prevented. However, as many observers and traffic experts have pointed out, studies like this fail to show that there are an equal or higher number of accidents that cause serious and life-altering injuries which put an even larger burden on the state and on the families of the victims.

If you or a dear one has suffered injuries in a motor-vehicle collision, contact an experienced car accident lawyer. We can evaluate the circumstances of your case and apprise you on its merits. You could be entitled to compensation.