Millions of Americans travel on public roads across the country every day. Unfortunately, we are all at risk of the negligence of other drivers when we travel on public streets. It is important to stay alert at all times when travelling, including remaining sober, alert, and cautious behind the wheel. Every day terrible traffic accidents happen across Oklahoma due to the smallest of mistakes. The following are 26 of the most common causes of accidents in Oklahoma; awareness of risks can help you avoid the negligence of another driver.

Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Edmond and Oklahoma City

The OKC Injury Lawyer works with individuals injured in a wide range of accidents across Oklahoma. You need experienced and effective legal representation to Fight for Your Rights, if you have been injured in Oklahoma. Contact OKC Injury Lawyer to protect your rights and fight for compensation in your car accident case in Oklahoma. Complete the CONTACT FORM ON THIS PAGE NOW or CALL at (405) 906-4051 for a free confidential case evaluation.

The significance of a being injured in an automobile or motorcycle accident and its effects on your life, cannot be overstated. It is critical that you or your family speak to a qualified attorney today. We have stood by clients before and we can help you. Our approach to personal injury representation focused service to our client and their family, especially through difficult circumstances.

26 Causes of Accidents in Oklahoma

1. Distracted Driving

The number one cause of car accidents in Oklahoma is distracted driving; something anyone can be guilty of on any day. Distracted Drivers are the primary cause of even the most-deadly car accidents in Oklahoma. Distracted driving is the act of driving without proper attention to the road, such text messaging, eating, playing with the radio, or focusing on anything other than the road..

2. Speeding

Speeding from 10 mph over the speed limit 30 mph over the limit or more causes many car accidents in Oklahoma. Speed limits are set for a reason and driving above the posted speed limit is a major cause of accidents in Oklahoma. As speed increases, time to react decreases.

3. Drunk Driving

Drivers that have consumed alcohol have reduced ability to focus and properly control a vehicle. Driving under the influence of alcohol causes thousands of car accidents per year. You should always use a designated driver or a driving service to avoid causing an accident due to drunk driving.

4. Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is a major cause of car accidents in Oklahoma. Speeding, changing lanes abruptly, tailgating, or other uncontrolled conduct on the road causes many traffic accidents. Reckless drivers are inpatient and often dangerous. Use caution when you encounter one.

5. Rain

Rain causes wet conditions and wet roads. Car accidents are more frequent in inclement weather, including rain, because roads become slick and dangerous for trucks, cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles.  It is important to drive extra careful during rainy weather.

6. Running Red Lights

Red lights mean stop and for a reason. When a driver ignores a red light; a traffic accident often follows. Drivers running a red light cause tragic and even fatal accidents. Accidents as a result of running a red light are especially dangerous as side-impact collisions at speed are very dangerous. Always look both ways before entering an intersection, especially, if you are the first or only car to do so.

7. Running Stop Signs

Similar to running a red light, stop signs should not be ignored. Serious car accidents happen as a result of running stops signs as well. Many car accidents happen every year in Oklahoma due to drivers running a stop sign. Always look both ways before passing a stop sign; it may save your life.

8. Teenage Drivers

Teenage and often inexperienced drivers cause a high percentage of accidents. Teenage drivers have slower reaction times to traffic incidents due to lack of years of repetition of responding to dangers on the road.

9. Night Driving

Regardless of your age or experience, driving at night time is more dangerous than driving in the day. In fact, night time driving nearly doubles your chances of being involved in a car accident. One of the major causes of this fact is the reduced visibility at night and shorter distance, which drivers can see what is ahead of them at night. You should always be more careful driving at nighttime.

10. Manufacturing Defects

Many vehicles trade safety and visibility for beauty. Visibility issues and hundreds of other accident causing defects exist in vehicles on the road. Many vehicle defects can cause an accident; however, some manufacture defects have caused a number of specific accidents that it rises to the level of negligence in design.

11. Unsafe Lane Changes

Rapid and unplanned lane changes cause many accidents. Car accidents often result from unsafe lane changes, which is a preventable cause of car accidents. Don’t be the cause of this type of accident. Use your turn signal, check blind spots, and change lanes safely.

12. Driving the Wrong-Way

Driving the wrong-way down a street, especially a highway is one of the deadliest causes of car accidents in Oklahoma. When or if you ever turn the wrong way down a street; stop as soon as you identify the issue and safety turn your vehicle around. Move to the side of the road in a calm manner, if vehicles are on the street coming towards you. Although this cause of traffic accidents is not very common it can be deadly.

13. Improper Turns

Improper turns result in accidents every day. When drivers ignore the rules of the road and turn without a signal or make another improper turn it is a dangerous to all nearby drivers. Obey traffic laws and making proper turns is just one way to increase your chances of avoiding a car accident.

14. Tailgating

Tailgating may be a safe and fun activity during sporting events, but it is dangerous on the open road. When you follow too closely to another vehicle, it is impossible to respond to that vehicle before an accident takes place. Whenever a vehicle brakes suddenly it takes time to react. When a vehicle tailgates it greatly increases the risk of a motor vehicle accident. You can prevent yourself from being responsible for this type of accident by giving the car in front of you one-car-length per 10 mph of your speed, i.e. four car lengths when you are traveling 40 mph.

15. Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

Legal and illegal drugs can and do impair driver’s abilities. When your mind isn’t clear; you do not have complete control over the vehicle or motorcycle you are driving and a serious car accident can result for it.

16. Icy Roads

Ice on the roads is difficult to see or detect until you lose traction or worse control of your vehicle. When you lose control of your vehicle, it may spin into another vehicle or other objects. Oklahoma has wild weather and icy roads, especially black ice or ice on bridges is a major cause of car accidents in winter time.

17. Snow

Snow is another dangerous factor for driving in winter time. Although some snow fall happens every year in Oklahoma, drivers rarely respond in a safe way to snow in Oklahoma. It is important to stay off the roads in snow or drive as safety and slowly as possible in the snow; however, you cannot control other traffic.

18. Road Rage

Everyone has bad days, including on the road; however, when a bad day turns into road rage – things get dangerous. Tailgating and angry driving or “road rage” is an unfortunate cause of many accidents every year in Oklahoma.

19. Potholes

Oklahoma City and the multiple freezing and thawing cycles each year cause pothole to pop up all over the city. When a vehicle hits a pothole at speed it can blowout a tire or cause other great risk of harm to drivers. Be pothole aware and try your best to avoid these dangers on the road.

20. Sleepy Drivers

Semitruck drivers and others commercial drivers are notorious for driving while fatigued or tired; however, this risk is more pervasive than many perceive. The risk of coming across a sleepy driver is obviously a greater risk at nighttime, which is just one more reason that it is so important to stay aware when driving at night. Pull over when it is safe or take a nap before getting on the road if you must drive and feel tired. The best option is always to sleep it off and go to your destination in the morning.

21. Tire Blowout

You will pass tire remains on any highway you travel down in Oklahoma. Tire blowouts in your vehicle can cause you to lose control and can cause serious damage to your vehicle, if one occurs on another vehicle. Try your best to stay calm, if you ever experience a tire blowout, pull off the road, and change the tire or seek assistance.

22. Fog

Although not that common in Oklahoma, fog does happen from time to time and can seriously reduce visibility and increase the dangers of driving. Heavy fog makes it very difficult to see beyond your vehicle and reduce response time to things in your path. Always use headlights when driving in fog. Never use your high beams in fog and stay weather aware.

23. Blind Curves

Although blind curves are not that common in Oklahoma, they are still a danger like any other blinding obstruction. It is important to always exercise caution when approaching or navigating tight turns. The speed limit posted on blind curves is there for a reason, abide by the caution and stay aware.

24. Emergency Vehicles

We have all seen them, the drivers that cannot remember how to react to an emergency vehicle or fail to yield when one is coming down the road. Emergency vehicles do not follow traffic rules when responding to an emergency, which makes them dangerous on the road, although for a higher purpose. Unfortunately, these events sometimes result in unintended consequences, accidents. Whether an emergency vehicle is in the accident or its traveling down the road contributes to an accident; it is smart to be aware, slow down, and get out of the way of a fast-moving emergency vehicle.

25. Street Racing

Oklahoma’s street racing culture has become so famous or infamous that a tv show has been made about it. Cars engaged in street racing on normal roads reach speeds well in excess of 100 mph and deadly accidents have resulted from this activity.

26. Animal Crossings

Most of Oklahoma roads are in rural areas with substantial amounts of wildlife. You cannot go far on highways in Oklahoma without spotting a deer carcass on the side of the road. As a hunter, few things are scarier during my hunting season than driving to a hunting spot at 4:00am in the dark with my eyes locked ahead of my truck looking for deer. Be cautious, drive carefully, and do not swerve to avoid hitting an animal on the road. Swerving is more dangerous than hitting the animal and at high speeds may cause you to flip your vehicle.

Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyers

We hope this page has helped you to identify the most common causes of car accidents in Oklahoma. Stay safe on the roads and know that experience matters when you or a loved one has been injured as a result of the negligence of someone in a vehicle accident in Oklahoma. It is important to know the Oklahoma personal injury lawyer you hire is dedicated to your cause and versed in all aspects of car accident law in Oklahoma.

OKC Injury Lawyer is dedicated to Fierce Advocacy for accident victims and will fight for you. Founder John Cannon has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and Top 40 under 40. Contact OKC Injury Lawyer to protect your rights and fight for compensation in your car accident case in Oklahoma. Complete the CONTACT FORM ON THIS PAGE NOW or CALL at (405) 906-4051 for a free confidential case evaluation.