Common causes of serious road traffic accidents
You probably notice moments of dangerous driving every time you’re on the road. Thankfully, most don’t cause issues, but some lead to near-misses and minor collisions, or more rarely serious road traffic accidents that can have lifelong consequences for those involved.
Knowing the most common causes of serious collisions can help ensure you don’t fall foul the law and risk the welfare of yourself and other road users. It can also help you spot potentially dangerous situations sooner, giving you more time to steer clear safely and calmly.
What to do if you're in an accident
Sadly, even the safest road users can end up in accidents, so first and foremost, it’s important to know what to do if that happens. The moments after a collision can be confusing and sometimes emotional, even during relatively minor incidents, so having a plan to fall back on can help you stay in control.
Your priority should always be safety. Move off the road if possible and put on your hazard lights. Check whether you or anyone else needs urgent medical attention. If so, ring emergency services and ask for an ambulance immediately.
If possible, take photos and videos of the scene, including the road conditions, nearby signs and vehicles involved. You should also gather witness contact details. Pictures and eye-witness statements can be valuable evidence if you pursue a claim for compensation through specialist solicitors for an accident caused by negligent behaviour. Remember to exchange insurance information.
You should seek medical advice after any significant collision, even if injuries seem minor at first. Whiplash, concussion and soft tissue injuries often develop gradually over the following days and can be serious in the long run.
Common causes of serious road accidents
1. Speeding or excessive speed
You don’t have to be breaking the speed limit to be driving too fast. As driving instructors tell you when you’re learning, it’s a limit, not a target. Navigating winding country lanes close to 60 mph is inviting collisions, and driving through residential 30 mph zones at the limit reduces your reaction time if someone runs out into the road.
Many serious crashes happen because drivers incorrectly assume they can stop in time. Stopping distances increase with speed more than you might think – by over 50% from 30 mph to 40 mph – and are generally longer than expected, with a car travelling at 70 mph requiring 100 metres to stop safely. Allowing the extra distance can be the difference between a near miss and a collision.
2. Distractions and mobile phone use
Distractions come in many forms, and it only takes a couple of seconds of inattention to cause a collision. Mobile phones continue to be highlighted as one of the most significant. It’s illegal to hold a phone, tablet or sat nav device in your hand while you’re driving, but even taking a call on a hands-free system can command too much of your attention. At motorway speeds, you can travel the length of a football pitch without fully watching traffic ahead.
Eating behind the wheel, managing passengers, music and watching scenes outside the window are other common distractions that can dangerously divert your attention. Even in-vehicle features like infotainment centres and GPS and theoretically safety-enhancing ADAS alerts can be responsible for pulling your focus.
3. Fatigue and impairment
Tiredness, thought to cause 10 – 20% of all road crashes in the UK, affects your driving in ways that resemble alcohol impairment. Slower reactions, poor concentration and drifting attention all increase the likelihood of a serious crash. Long motorway journeys create particular risks because repetitive roads can make drivers feel mentally detached without noticing the warning signs. That’s why late-night motorway signs shout, ‘Tiredness kills! Pull over’. Plan regular breaks during long journeys to keep your concentration sharp.
Alcohol and drugs remain major contributors to severe accidents across the UK. Some prescription medications can also reduce alertness, particularly if they cause drowsiness or blurred vision, so always check the label and consider honestly if you’re okay to be behind the wheel.
4. Unsafe motorway behaviour
Motorways can feel safer because traffic moves in the same direction, but the faster driving speeds mean that when drivers behave unpredictably there’s a greater chance of serious collisions. Tailgating leaves almost no room to react if traffic suddenly slows. Middle-lane hogging encourages risky undertaking, while sudden lane changes can force nearby drivers to brake sharply.
Heavy traffic also tempts drivers to weave between lanes in an attempt to save time. In reality, aggressive manoeuvres rarely shorten a journey significantly, yet they increase stress levels and create dangerous blind-spot situations. Leaving a larger gap between your car and the vehicle ahead gives you more time to react smoothly instead of braking suddenly, which helps reduce the risk of chain-reaction collisions.