THE CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

      Not a single day passes off these days without the news of road accidents claiming lives of the people. In Malaysia, it represents a major public problem because of the high number of victims involved and also the seriousness of the consequences for the victim themselves and to their families as well. There are various causes of road accidents, some of which include bad roads, drunk driving, distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs and night driving.

      Firstly, there are many bad roads. Highway maintenance is very important. However, many roads exhibit unsafe conditions like pot holes and uneven pavement can and do lead to serious car accidents by throwing a driver off course and out of control of the vehicle. Secondly, the driver is drunk when driving the vehicle. When the driver drunk, he lose the ability to focus and function properly and it’s very dangerous when operating a vehicle. Driving under the influence of alcohol causes car accidents. Drinking impairs the driver senses of vision and hearing and also results in decreased muscle coordination and slower reaction times.

      Thirdly, the driver is distracted when driving the vehicle. There are some common driver distractions such as talking on cell phone, sending text messages, eating food, reading a book and reaching for a moving object inside the vehicle. The driver diverts his attention from the road will cause road accident. Fourthly, driving under the influence of drugs also can cause road accident. It’s not only alcohol that is dangerous when mixed with drivers on the road. Drugs, both legal and illegal, can impair people ability to fully function as a driver. If the driver mind isn’t clear and he doesn’t have complete control over his body, getting behind the wheel can lead to serious car accidents.

      Lastly, one of the causes of road accidents is night driving. Driving in the daylight can be hazardous, but driving at night nearly doubles the risk of a road accident occurring. Since people ability to perceive and judge distance is severely impaired at night, the human eye requires light to see. While people eyes are capable of seeing in limited light, the combination of headlights and road lights, with the darkness beyond them, can cause several problems for the driver vision.

      In conclusion, there are numerous reasons for car accidents but by far the most common is driver error.  Thousands of car accidents occur every day resulting in death or serious injury to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Bad roads, drunk driving, distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs and night driving are some of the causes of road accidents.