When a single vehicle is involved in a crash, you want to know: Why? How?
These accidents typically involve a vehicle leaving a lane and striking an artifical or natural barrier.
While it's easy to jump to conclusions, federal authorities say there are many possible causes. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studied the more than 18,000 fatal single-car crashes that occurred between 1991 and 2007.
The report said any combination of the following could be factors:
- Whether drivers had enough sleep
- Sharp curves in the design of a roadway
- Whether the driver had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Whether the driver had been speeding
- Adverse weather conditions including rain, sleet, snow
- The number of people in the vehicle
- Narrow lanes and shoulders on the road
- Poor drainage on the road.
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