Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Alaska
Unfortunately, drivers in Anchorage often make poor choices when behind the wheel. Negligence is defined as engaging in reckless behavior that causes injury to another person. In Alaska, a reckless driver is defined as a person who operates a motor vehicle with a willful disregard for the safety of others whom they encounter on the road. Some examples of reckless driving include the following:
Driving at excessive speeds: Most people in Anchorage seem to be in a hurry today, although that is still not an excuse to drive at excessive speeds. Drivers who decide to risk speeds that are approximately 20+ miles over the speed limit put everyone whom they encounter at risk of injury or worse. When traveling at a high speed, if a driver loses control of their vehicle, the results are often extremely catastrophic for those involved.
Aggressive driving: Information provided by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety defines aggressive driving as an unsafe behavior demonstrated deliberately by drivers who have ill intent or total disregard for safety. Some common behaviors indicative of aggressive driving include, but are not limited to:
Disobeying traffic signs and lights
Tailgating
Cutting other drivers off
Brake-checking other drivers
Unsafe maneuvering through traffic
Blocking other vehicles attempting to change lanes or pass by.
Road rage can easily result from aggressive driving. This type of reckless behavior behind the wheel can include the intentional ramming or sideswiping of a vehicle, forcing another vehicle off of the road, or throwing objects at another vehicle.
Driving while distracted: The advent of handheld technological devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as GPS systems, has placed a new and dangerous risk on drivers everywhere. These devices have the potential to take eyes off of the road and create reckless, distracted drivers. A report from the Centers for Disease Control states that reading or sending a text message takes your mind and eyes off of the road and your hands from the wheel, endangering your life and the lives of those around you.
Talking on the phone while driving in Alaska is not illegal, however, texting and driving is a class A misdemeanor. This offense is punishable by up to one year in jail and up to $10,000 in fines for an initial offense. That being said, texting and driving are banned by law in the state of Alaska.
Driving while intoxicated: Also known as driving under the influence (DUI) is defined as any driver who decides to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This negligent action can risk the driver’s life as well as the lives of those whom they encounter on the roadway. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs causes one’s judgment and reaction time to become impaired, which is very dangerous.
One decision to act recklessly behind the wheel could change your life and the lives of those around you forever. No matter how many precautions you take while driving, an accident caused by a reckless driver could cause you serious bodily harm. In the event that your life or the life of someone you love was negatively impacted by a negligent driver, contact a personal injury attorney in Anchorage in order to learn more about the legal options available to you.
The Law Office of Jason Skala in Anchorage has been successfully serving those injured in negligently caused traffic accidents for close to a decade. Jason Skala, a skilled and experienced car crash attorney in Anchorage, will work tirelessly in order to provide you with full and fair financial compensation for your injuries and losses in the event that you have been hurt by another person’s recklessness. Call our law firm in order to be connected with a skilled attorney in Anchorage.