Car crashes can happen suddenly and without warning, leaving you or your loved ones shaken, injured and dealing with expensive car repairs. There are numerous reasons why vehicle collisions can happen in Mississippi. Regardless of whether your crash was relatively minor or more serious, it is important to have an experienced car accident attorney to help you obtain the justice and compensation you need in the wake of your losses.
Unique circumstances surround every vehicle crash. Sometimes another driver exhibited negligence while operating a vehicle which resulted in your involvement in the incident as the victim. Some common causes of car crashes in Mississippi include:
Speeding on a roadway or highway
Speed limits are posted in order to facilitate a certain level of safety on roadways and highways. Crashes that occur at high speeds result in more severe and tragic consequences than those that occur at low speeds. Speeding increases crash risk as well as the negative and sometimes deadly consequences of subsequent collisions. According to the NHTSA, speeding killed more than 10,000 people in 2016, some 27 percent of all traffic fatalities that year.
Drunk driving
Drunk driving accounted for 18 percent of all traffic deaths in Mississippi in 2016, according to the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Over 10,000 people lose their lives due to drunk driving incidents each year.
Reckless or careless driving
Drivers who are reckless and careless while operating a motor vehicle tend to disobey numerous traffic laws in the process. These drivers may weave in and out of close traffic at high speeds, race with other vehicles, and disregard stop signs and red lights, all without proper regard for the safety of other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Distracted driving
Talking on the phone, texting, conversing with passengers, eating, and applying makeup are all forms of distracted driving. Multitasking while driving can result in serious and deadly crashes. Teenagers are vulnerable to the temptation to multitask while operating a motor vehicle – in large part due to their constant use of smartphones.
Vehicle defects
Certain vehicles that have defects in manufactured parts are at risk for particular parts or systems malfunctioning – all of which may lead to a car crash depending on the particular part or system involved. For instance, faulty brakes can lead to disaster. Additionally, defects in the transmission of a vehicle can cause the driver to lose proper control while operating the vehicle and potentially lead to a collision.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury due to a car crash in Mississippi, you may be eligible to recover damages for your losses. Our legal team at Merkel & Cocke, P.A. is committed to helping you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled due to the fault of another party in your crash. From our offices in Jackson, Oxford, and Clarksdale, we serve Mississippi statewide, including the city of Tupelo and throughout the Gulf Coast. To set up a free case evaluation, call us today at 662.799.1633.
