Most Common Causes Of Road Accidents In Australia

Globally, Australia is at the seventh position, if we consider the number of cars present per capita. Such a vast number of vehicles means the chance of road accidents is also higher.

The most important requirement for safe driving is getting top-quality driving lessons Perth from the training centres. However, having good driving skills is only the basic requirement. People often meet with accidents even after being trained by the best driving school Perth. From uncontrolled speed to ignoring stop signs, the reasons behind fatal accidents are many.

Knowing about these major causes is the first step to avoiding accidents. Go through the following section for a complete understanding of the reasons that lead to critical road accidents.

Common Causes Of Road Accidents

In July 2020, a survey had published that nearly 1200 deaths had occurred in 2019 due to road accidents. Of the victims, drivers were the most affected, followed by passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. That is why it is of utmost importance to be aware of the typical causes of deadly collisions. Here are the most important ones:

Speed Limits

Failing to maintain speed limits is considered the biggest reason for serious car accidents in Australia. It doesn’t mean accidents are only caused because of extremely high speeds. Low range speeding can also be a reason. Here we give some valuable tips on speeding, which you can also get from your driving instructor Perth.

• Whenever you drive through Australian roads, you have to obey the speed signs to guide the drivers to navigate a highway or street.
• The main drawback of taking your car to a high speed is that you will not have much reaction time when a road hazard appears in front of you. Thus, you will easily put yourself, your passengers, pedestrians and other car drivers at risk.

Vehicle Defects

Is there any defect in your brake or wheel? If so, it will never be a good idea to take your car, even on the alleys. Here we give several examples.

• Defective brakes will not allow you to stop where you need to and instead lead to a crash.
• If anything is wrong with the fuel system, ignoring it can lead to devastating fire or explosions.
• With a faulty wheel alignment, you cannot control your car, and accidents can occur at any time.
• Defects in seat belts can also be hazardous as you cannot protect yourself from getting crashed into the car front during a collision.

If such a situation arises, you should immediately contact the nearest car mechanic and get all the issues fixed to ensure safety.

Drunk Driving

About 30% of road accidents in Australia occur due to driving under the influence of alcohol. More than 25% of drivers and riders killed in these road accidents have blood alcohol content (BAC) above the standard limit. Driving in a drunken state affects the drivers in the following ways.

• It reduces the driver’s natural ability to judge speed and distance.
• It impairs the person’s vision.
• Reaction times also become slower.

Driving under drug influence is also dangerous and considered a criminal offence in Australian states. Even if you are under any particular medication and not sure whether the prescribed medication can impact your driving, it is better to consult your doctor.

Distraction

Driving is something that requires immense concentration, and little distraction can lead to devastating consequences. Driving distractions can come in several forms, which include the following.

• Phone: Looking at the phone is one of the most common forms of getting distracted.
• Distractions: Thinking about other matters can disturb your mind and affect your concentration.
• Lack of attention: While driving, you should never take your eyes off the road. Whenever you stop looking at the road, accidents can be inevitable.
• Noisy disruptions: If there is a constant noisy interruption, like passengers talking on radio playing.
• Improper steering handling: Removing hands from the steering is another form of distraction that may lead to a car crash.

According to government reports, about 20% of fatalities are the result of driver distraction. So, we hope you know that this is a serious concern which shouldn’t be neglected.

Unsafe Roads

Poorly maintained roads also contribute to road accidents significantly, in the following ways.

• Poor maintenance and misleading signs can confuse the drivers, and they cannot take the right action.
• Confusion also causes panic, making a driver make the wrong decision and crash into another car or motorcycle.
• If the directions and warnings are not marked, a driver can easily miss the stopping signals and collide with another vehicle.
• Roads with potholes damage vehicles and affect car performance.

Driver Fatigue

Feeling drowsy while driving can also cause major harm to the driver and passengers. Driving in an exhausted condition is similar to what we call drunk driving. Here also, you cannot get much reaction time.

• Before you drive, make sure you have a good sleep. Driving after missing about 20 hours of sleep means you will be like someone driving with a BAC of 0.08%.
• If you continuously miss sleep, you may experience micro-sleep episodes during driving. Those 4 to 5 seconds of inattentiveness on the highway can be fatal.

Ignoring Red Lights and Stop Signs

Ignoring red signals is a common problem with rough drivers. You may be in a hurry for an emergency, but it doesn’t mean you have to put your life and the lives of other passengers in the car at risk. Whenever you drive and wherever you drive, you should always obey traffic signals and stop signs to avoid unnecessary risks and fatalities.

• While driving, utilise your common sense. For example, when it is storming, you should not take any risk of increasing your car speed.
• Keep your speed limit around 50km/h while driving through residential or local areas.
• Don’t use your phone while driving.
• Tell your passengers to stop if they are causing distractions.
• Adjust the mirror.
• Keep your hands on the wheel and never take your eyes off the road.
• Obey traffic signals.
• Don’t drive while being tired.

Above all, having adequate knowledge and skills in driving is necessary. Aventus Driving School Perth is one of the prominent driving schools in Perth that offers top-quality driving lessons. For any queries, you may contact them and become a pro-driver.