Age of vehicles.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zackary

But it seems that most internet sites state that the top 25 causes of accidents are:

1. Distracted Driving
2. Speeding

But can we say that those figures are from an unbiased source? I doubt it, since I expect they're collected by various law enforcement agencies, all of which have a vested interest in being able to continue to issue speeding tickets.

It's also the easy answer: to say speed caused the accident, rather than e.g. driver incompetence.

[JockoT]

The four main causes of car accidents are well documented. They’re known as the four Ds of impairment: drinking, drugs, distraction and drowsiness. Traffic safety experts have concluded that these are the four impairments most likely to hinder a person’s ability to drive a car and get to their destination safely.
Driver incompetence must be a close follower.

[Ecky]

I'd argue weather conditions should be on that list.

[JockoT]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zackary

1. Distracted Driving
2. Speeding
3. Drunk Driving
4. Reckless Driving
5. Rain
6. Running Red Lights
7. Running Stop Signs
8. Teenage Drivers
9. Night Driving
10. Design Defects
11. Unsafe Lane Changes
12. Wrong-Way Driving
13. Improper Turns
14. Tailgating
15. Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
16. Ice
17. Snow
18. Road Rage
19. Potholes
20. Drowsy Driving
21. Tire Blowouts
22. Fog
23. Deadly Curves
24. Animal Crossings
25. Street Racing

Weather conditions are on that list, My four D's are just a list of the impairments a driver can suffer from.
Noun.
the state of being diminished, weakened, or damaged, especially mentally or physically:
cognitive impairment in older adults.

[gumby79]

# 1 Difference in travle speed ..... 2 rigs moving at the same speed and trajectory can NOT hit each other.

When the fed lifted the +55mph restrictions the commercial trafic accdents went through the roof. What most do NOT understand is that the number of at falt accdents went down for commercial drivers . Shame on the truck trafic is the setement of the most I refer to. The majority of truck accdents a car hits the truck in the rear. It only took a cupola months for some alphabet soup entity to require the rear bumpers to be lowered to reduce fatalities from id 10 t smacking into them . This required all OSHA dock locks(attaches to rear trailer bumper)to be changed out in all of the contry with years of both systems required. Simplest and cheepest fix is to have speed limits the same for all trafic.

[JockoT]

There is a dual carriage way near me where there have been a number of fatalities. The biggest reason for these fatalities are cars/vans colliding with Backhoe loaders. The limit on the road is 70 mph and the JCB's max speed is 24 mph.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I'd argue weather conditions should be on that list.

I'd argue not, because a competent driver can drive safely in almost all weather conditions. It's just that most drivers either don't know how, or choose not to - as exemplified by the earlier post about pickups & SUVs driving fast on ice.

Originally Posted by JockoT

The limit on the road is 70 mph and the JCB's max speed is 24 mph.

Why are they allowed on dual carriageways? Many places in the US have minimum speeds as well as maximum.

[JockoT]

Although there is a minimum speed limit sign in the UK Highway Code, I believe there are only two places where it is used. That is the Mersey Tunnel and the Dartford Tunnel (both 10mph, minimum). In Northern Ireland there is a minimum speed limit of 30 mph on Motorways, but not in the UK, though you could be cited for driving at a speed not commensurate with the traffic flow. Dual carriageways are just normal A roads but with an extra lane in each direction and as such are covered by the same laws as a quiet road in the highlands or islands (apart from a slightly higher speed limit).

[freebeard]

Only two out of my excessive fleet of dozens are less than 20 years old

Sounds like you've been holding out on us.

KB-2

Whoa! Stake bed? Box van? Log truck?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by JockoT

Dual carriageways are just normal A roads but with an extra lane in each direction...

My misunderstanding, then. I'd thought "dual carriageway" was what we'd call a divided highway. Not quite a freeway with entrance/exit ramps, but the travel lanes separated, and access only at limited points.

Also thought the British were fairly strict about lane discipline. Haven't ever driven there, though: my travels were mostly bike, and on roads like the Highlands & Islands ones. (Or Yorkshire: I still can't understand why they didn't just build ladders instead of some of those roads :-))