The dictionary defines accident as “an unexpected and undesirable event, a mishap unforeseen and without apparent cause.” From our experience as Orlando car accident lawyers, we believe most car accidents are not accidents at all. Usually, there is some totally preventable cause that is responsible for a car collision that simply put: did not need to happen.
Over the years, the causes of car accidents have included many variations of four large categories. In summary, most car accidents can be classified as being caused by either (1) equipment failure, (2) roadway design, (3) roadway maintenance and (4) driver behavior.
As we will see over this and the next several posts, these categories all have one thing in common. Everyone one of these causes are preventable and should never have happened. So, let’s look at the first one-equipment failure. Manufacturers are required by law to design and engineer cars that meet a minimum safety standard. Computers, combined with companies’ extensive research and development, have produced safe vehicles that are easy and safe to drive.
The most cited types of equipment failure are loss of brakes, tire blowouts or tread separation, and steering/suspension failure. Combined totals for all reported equipment failure accounts for smallest amount of all motor vehicle accidents. As far as brakes, modern dual-circuit brake systems have made total brake failure an unlikely event. If one side of the circuit fails, the other side is usually sufficient to stop a vehicle. ABS or anti-lock brakes prevent the wheels from locking up during emergency braking maneuvers, allowing modern vehicles to avoid many accidents that previously would have occured. With respect to tires – today’s radial tires are significantly safer than the bias-ply tires of 25 years ago. They still, however, need attention regularly.
Underinflation, Uneven or worn-out tires are the next most serious problem and can also lead to tire failure. Uneven wear is caused by improperly balanced tires, or misaligned or broken suspensions. Lastly, steering & suspension – Your suspension keeps your tires in contact with the roadway in a stable and predictable manner. Your steering enables you to go around road obstacles and avoid potential accidents. Even a safe, well-trained driver is helpless in the event of a steering or suspension system failure. Such failures are catastrophic, especially at high speeds.
With regular component inspections by trained individuals, equipment failures can be virtually eliminated. If equipment failure really caused a collision or injury to others, it usually can be identified as a problem that should have and could have been addressed.
