Car accidents happen every day in Alabama, many of which lead to injuries. Some even lead to fatalities. Understanding common causes of car accidents is an important step in staying vigilant and helping prevent them.
If you have tragically already been involved in a serious car accident, speaking with an attorney can help you understand your options for moving forward. Request a consultation with Sid Jackson, attorney at Jackson & Foster in Mobile, AL, for affordable assistance.
A Cautionary Tale From Attorney Sid Jackson
I want to give you one piece of cautionary advice related to “leading” causes of car accidents and one you should pass along to your teenage drivers: never drive while wearing flip-flops.
I investigated a multiple-fatality crash involving a “runaway” car that could not stop. The driver exited I-65 near Mobile, AL, at a high speed, lost control, and hit a tree.
Witnesses were convinced the accelerator was electronically stuck, similar to known “runaway vehicle” or sudden-acceleration problems caused by a product defect. Upon close inspection of the driver’s side, specifically the accelerator and brake pedals — guess what? The accelerator was jammed down between the floor mat and the driver’s right flip-flop shoe.
The flip-flop easily came off the driver’s right foot and became jammed, causing the deadly accident. Some vehicles have snapped-down floor mats to prevent this, but a flip-flop or loose shoe can still get jammed between the side wall, the floorboard, and the accelerator.
Exploring the Leading Causes of Car Accidents in Alabama
The Alabama Department of Transportation releases a “Crash Facts” report every few years detailing recent statistics on car accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The 2024 report stated that approximately 967 lives were lost in crashes on Alabama roads that year, and accidents led to more than 36,600 injuries.
While the total number of crashes in Alabama has gradually decreased since 2021, from 152,134 in 2021 to 140,118 in 2024, more efforts are needed to reduce accident prevalence. Below are some of the most common reasons for traffic accidents in Alabama, according to DOT data.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
One of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in Alabama and across the U.S. is alcohol or drug impairment. In 2024, approximately 4,657 crashes occurred in Alabama with suspected alcohol or drug impairment, according to the DOT report. These accidents also tend to result in fatalities at a rate 6.5 times that of typical crashes. Using a cell phone while drinking doubles the danger of inattention and a wreck.
Alabama law prohibits being in actual physical control of a vehicle while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or both. The legal BAC limit is 0.08% for adults, 0.04% for commercial drivers, and 0.02% for drivers under 21. Unfortunately, these laws do not always prevent DUI accidents.
Driving While Drowsy or Fatigued
Driving while drowsy is another major factor that contributes to car crashes in Alabama. In 2024, being fatigued or asleep was a contributing circumstance in approximately 2,333 Alabama accidents.
Reports have shown that driving after 17 consecutive hours awake is equivalent to having a BAC of 0.05; after 24 hours, that BAC increases to 0.10, which is above the legal limit for adult drivers. Being fatigued impairs your reaction time and decision making, increasing your chances of making a mistake that causes an accident.
If you ever feel drowsy while driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drinking one to two cups of coffee or pulling over for a short nap in a safe place, such as a designated rest stop. But avoiding getting into the car without adequate sleep is an even more reliable way to prevent accidents.
Distracted Driving
In 2023, there were 60 fatalities associated with distracted driving in Alabama. Safety professionals attribute the 25% increase in pedestrian fatalities since 2014, in part, to pedestrian distraction from electronic devices while walking.
Smartphones have become a major source of distraction in recent years, but drivers can also be distracted by the radio, their passengers, or events outside the vehicle. Taking your eyes off the road for even five seconds while traveling at 55 miles per hour is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed, and accidents can quickly happen in this time.
Failing To Yield the Right of Way
The 2024 DOT traffic data shows that approximately 23,983 accidents happened that year due to failure to yield the right of way. This often happens at stop signs, yield signs, and traffic lights, where drivers are required by law to stop and yield to other motorists. More and more we are seeing people trying “to beat the light”, barreling through a red light even seconds after the light turns red. If you are the first in line waiting for your light to turn green ii is IMPERATIVE that after the light turns green you look both ways for a “red light runner” before proceeding. The failure to do so is often deadly because the bad driver will be speeding to beat the light and if you pull out you will be T-boned and killed or badly hurt.
Being a defensive driver is important to preventing accidents. Be aware of your surroundings at all times and watch out for motorists who may not be yielding to you. Even if you have the right of way, never assume that an oncoming driver will stop or slow down for you. It’s often a good idea to wait a few seconds before accelerating at a recently changed stoplight to ensure that no cross-traffic drivers are running the light.
Improper Lane Changes
Improper lane changes occur when drivers change lanes without checking their blind spots, signaling to other drivers, or ensuring there is enough space in the adjacent lane. According to the car accidents and police reports cited in the DOT data, this issue accounted for approximately 15,893 accidents across Alabama in 2024.
A few tips to prevent these accidents include:
Give yourself plenty of space when changing lanes.
Be aware of adjacent drivers two lanes over who may attempt to enter the lane you are trying to enter.
Change lanes early rather than waiting until you no longer have ample time or space to do so.
Avoid forcing a lane change where doing so would be unsafe; you can always go to the next exit or turn around up ahead.
Don’t rely on blind spot indicators in modern vehicles alone; always double-check that the lane is clear.
Tailgating or Following Too Closely
Approximately 16,506 accidents occurred in Alabama in 2024 due to tailgating. This is another major cause of roadway collisions and crashes. Nothing irritates us and causes road rage more than a tailgater attempting to pass everyone.
When drivers think of “tailgating,” they may picture intentionally following a leading driver too closely as an aggressive behavior. But drivers may unintentionally tailgate because they are unaware of how much space they should leave, or because they are in stop-and-go traffic and feel that being as close as possible to the leading driver is best.
The DOT data also listed “misjudged stopping distance” as the cause of 10,504 accidents in 2024. As a general rule, you should leave at least a four-second following distance between you and the driver in front of you to allow plenty of time to slow down or stop suddenly. In low-visibility or wet conditions, increase the gap to six seconds.
Consult a Car Accident Attorney for Legal Guidance
If you were injured due to one of these causes of car accidents or any other cause, Jackson & Foster Law can provide legal guidance. Review a few common mistakes after a car accident to learn what not to do, then contact us at 251-433-6699 for a consultation.
