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What Are The Main Causes Of Road Traffic Accidents? [Ireland]


Posted in [Blog Personal Injury Litigation ] on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023

Unfortunately, every year in Ireland thousands of road traffic accidents lead to property damage, injuries and loss of life.

Road traffic accidents occur for many reasons, however, research does point to certain trends. These show that particular age groups, road types and circumstances are more likely to lead to road accidents.

What Are The Main Causes Of Road Traffic Accidents

Causes of road traffic accidents in Ireland include, but are not limited to:

1. SPEEDING

According to the RSA, the number of road traffic accidents caused by driving at the wrong speed is high.

Speeding may refer to a vehicle being driven at a speed which is above the legal speed limit or  a vehicle driving within the speed limit, but at an inappropriate speed considering the conditions, traffic etc. Thus, just because a car is being driven within the speed limit, does not mean that it is not speeding if the conditions were such that a slower speed was required.

 

2. DRIVER DISTRACTION (NEGLIGENCE)

Anyone can become distracted, however, the popularity of mobile phones has coincided with the increase in car accidents caused by distractions.

In 2014 it became illegal in Ireland to text whilst driving a vehicle. It was already illegal to hold your phone whilst driving. The strict mobile phone-driving laws came into place following European research which found mobiles to be a major cause of distraction. Further research even found that talking on a hands-free device quadruples the risk of road traffic accidents.

Distraction could also include a driver just not concentrating and colliding with the vehicle in front of them.

 

3. AGE AND/OR DRIVING EXPERIENCE

Sadly, there has been a steady increase in the number of young and learner drivers in car accidents in recent years.

The legal driving age in Ireland is 17 years of age. A learner must pass the driver theory test before applying for a learner’s permit. With a learner’s permit, they can take driving lessons and apply for a driving test after six months and 12 driving lessons.

An inexperienced driver may not fully appreciate how dangerous driving can be and their responsibility to other road users. For example, if an inexperienced driver has never driven on a narrow country road before (having done only driven in a city for example), they may not understand the need for caution and slower speed.

 

 

4. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol can great impair ability to drive. Alcohol can affect:

  • Reaction times.
  • Coordination.
  • Concentration.
  • Judgement.
  • Vision.

The more alcohol in your system, the more it affects your ability to drive.

 

Speak To Cantillons Solicitors, Road Traffic Accident Claims Solicitors

At Cantillons Solicitors, our Cork based Road Traffic Accident Solicitors team have acted on behalf of many road traffic accident claimants who have suffered whiplash injuries, and other injuries, as a result of car accidents. The compensation payouts we have achieved in such cases have ranged from thousands of euros to multi-million euro compensation awards.

We pride ourselves on our experience. We have an approachable team of Personal Injuries Solicitors. We understand the stress that comes with suffering an injury in an accident, and we aim to take that stress from you, so you can focus on recovery.

If you are looking to speak to a Road Traffic Accident Solicitor about making a Road Traffic Accident Claim, please contact Cantillon Solicitors using the contact form below, call us on +353 (0)21 4275673 or email us at info@cantillons.com for more information.

Cantillons Solicitors represent clients from all over Ireland. While our office is based in Cork, given the amount of work we do all over the Country, we also have meeting facilities in Dublin and Limerick. We also offer consultations via telephone or Zoom so as to avoid the stress of travelling where necessary.

 

Contact us at Cantillons Solicitors at Cork  +353 (0)21 4275673 or Dublin +353 (0)1 264 1802 or email info@cantillons.com  if you would like more information.

* In contentious business, a Solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement. Many Personal Injury Solicitors portray themselves as “no win no fee Solicitors Cork” or “no win no fee Solicitors Dublin”. This term can be misleading and it is essential that you discuss fees with the Medical Negligence Solicitor you ultimately choose. At Cantillons Solicitors, we are entirely transparent

 

How can we help?


We are always happy to accommodate you at a time and place that best suits your needs.

We have Solicitors based in various locations, including Cork, Limerick and Dublin. We can arrange a meeting at a location that is suitable to you.

If you would like to speak to a member of our team outside of office hours then please contact us using the form below. We are happy to accommodate a virtual consultation, via Zoom or otherwise also.


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