Helping New
Hampshire Accident And Injury Victims

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Are drivers too accepting of risk?

On Behalf of | Jan 20, 2023 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

While accidents can happen anywhere, one of the biggest causes of injuries and deaths to people is on the roads. While it won’t ever be possible to rule out risk entirely, new evidence suggests that people may be too accepting of it.

The study from the United Kingdom found that 61% of those surveyed agreed that risk was a natural part of driving. By contrast, only 31% agreed that risk was a natural part of working.

Why is that a problem?

Would you go to work if you felt you had a 61% chance of being injured? Probably not. You’d look for something safer. Recognizing driving risk is essential, but there is not much point unless you then try to reduce it.

Too many people continue to do things that make driving a high-risk activity (for themselves and others). Here are some common examples of dangerous and negligent behavior:

  • Traveling over the speed limit
  • Failing to stop at obligatory stop signs or red lights
  • Overtaking when not entirely safe to do so
  • Driving after drinking alcohol or taking drugs
  • Driving when too tired to stay fully alert
  • Allowing distractions to take attention away from the road

 

If more people realized just how dangerous these things were and avoided doing them, more people could genuinely say that they felt driving was a relatively safe activity. And perhaps it would be. Until then, it’s wise to accept that other drivers will always pose a risk to you, and you will need legal help if one injures you.