When first learning to drive, highway driving can be everyone’s worst nightmare. However, the statistics show that highway driving is actually safer than driving on the roads in towns or cities. So why are we so afraid of high speeds?
The Autobahn Highway in Germany
Take the autobahn in Germany; speed knows no limit (yes—there are parts of the autobahn that have no speed limit!) No speed limit might be a frightening concept for inexperienced drivers out there, but Germany has a law that makes it illegal to pass a vehicle on the right hand side, reducing the number of accidents that happen due to people weaving in and out of lanes. In 2009, the autobahn accounted for less than 10% of all auto accidents in the country of Germany.
There are many different factors that make the autobahn a safer highway with fewer crashes (and fewer calls to accident injury lawyers). Here are a few of the reasons:
- It is illegal to pass on the right hand side in Germany.
- It is a longer, more difficult process to attain a driver’s license in Germany.
- The highway is constructed with a 40 year rating.
- There are cameras that spot speeders on the highway.
- A law of coercion prevents drivers from driving aggressively.
Hiring an Accident Injury Lawyer
In North America, our highways are not as impressive as the autobahn in Germany, and accidents happen because of unsafe lane changes and aggressive driving. When a car accident occurs on the highway due to another car’s unsafe right lane change, it is best to hire an accident injury lawyer to receive compensation for the injuries that you sustained after the crash.
Although speed might not be the main cause of car accidents on highways, unsafe driving is. This means that you should be driving defensively, checking your blind spots before lane changes, and watching for aggressive drivers on the roads. If you are in need an accident injury lawyer after a serious car accident, book a consultation with Sokoloff today.
Sources:
http://brandongaille.com/17-fascinating-autobahn-accident-statistics/
http://www.imaginelifestyles.com/luxuryliving/2012/04/autobahn-vs-american-highways-high-speeds-and-fewer-accidents