Accidents are usually caused by someone’s fault or negligence. In a motor-vehicle accident, there may be any number of reasons why it occurred. Distracted, impaired or speeding driver, weather and road conditions, malfunctioning or defective auto parts etc are some of the leading causes of automobile collisions.

Whatever the immediate reason for accidents, the fact is that they leave a trail of destruction in their wake. Damage to vehicles and property, injuries whether minor or serious, hospitalization, time taken off work, spiraling medical and rehabilitation expenses along with immeasurable pain and suffering.

The injured can seek compensation in the form of statutory benefits under Ontario’s no-fault statutory benefits schemes, payable by their own insurers, or they can file a personal injury suit against the at-fault party whose fault or negligence caused the accident.

In either case, it’s wise to consult an experienced Peterborough personal injury lawyer who can provide an initial, free assessment and evaluate the merits of your claim. Armed with this information you can decide on the way forward that will help you achieve the maximum possible compensation.

Driving Times And Risks

With more and more vehicles emerging on our roads, it’s more than possible that we get involved in accidents. Younger drivers, aging drivers, more powerful cars, alcohol and drug abuse, distractions, rush hours and peak hours, more automated vehicles that confuse drivers and less time to repair and maintain roads are some of the reasons for the rise in dangers on the road.

Rush hour and school-times are more risky, because you could find unpredictable behavior like unplanned lane changes or children jumping off buses or rushing out of parents’ cars.

An Insurance Hotline report says that seasonal factors are also involved in causing accidents. Contrary to expectations, it’s not winter driving that sees an increase in the number of collisions in Canada. The maximum number of accidents occur between July and August. Holiday spirits, over-crowded cars, impatience and fatigue are the factors that make summer driving difficult.

Other studies show that Saturdays are the days when maximum collisions occur. The reasons are obvious – weekend revelry, excessive consumption of alcohol, more teenagers on the road with speed on their minds. Incidences of drunk driving, speeding and not wearing a seat-belt are most common during Saturday nights.

Naturally, night-time and the early hours of the morning see most number of catastrophic accidents. Studies show that people tend not to wear restraints and seat-belts at night. The number of non-seat-belt wearer related accidents comes down to half for accidents that occur in the day.

Mid-week days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays seem the safest, because the lowest number of motor-vehicle accidents world-wide take place on these days.

Whatever the day or time, staying safe and ensuring that we use the road safely is every driver’s responsibility.

It’s important to seek advice and assistance from an experienced Peterborough personal injury lawyer if you or a dear one has been seriously injured in a motor-vehicle accident. You may be entitled to compensation.