[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/what-percentage-of-car-accidents-is-caused-by-human-error\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/what-percentage-of-car-accidents-is-caused-by-human-error\/","headline":"What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Human Error?","name":"What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Human Error?","description":"We all make mistakes, but a mistake on the road can be deadly. So, just how many car accidents are caused by human error? The following are some shocking statistics about driver errors and collisions. Statistics on Human Driving Errors Causing Car Crashes Indiana University conducted an eye-opening study about the percentage of car accidents […]","datePublished":"2023-09-04","dateModified":"2026-02-13","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/author\/joeking\/#Person","name":"Joe A. King, Jr.","url":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/author\/joeking\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2ee095ca2cc66ba4f2d51c99c5ced8e7d60ae9f64d6637d2330e85a3ef899f82?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2ee095ca2cc66ba4f2d51c99c5ced8e7d60ae9f64d6637d2330e85a3ef899f82?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Morris, King & Hodge, P.C.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/mkh-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/mkh-logo.png","width":412,"height":78}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Car-Accidents-Are-Caused-by-Human-Error.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Car-Accidents-Are-Caused-by-Human-Error.jpg","height":666,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/what-percentage-of-car-accidents-is-caused-by-human-error\/","about":["Car Accidents"],"wordCount":529,"articleBody":"We all make mistakes, but a mistake on the road can be deadly. So, just how many car accidents are caused by human error? The following are some shocking statistics about driver errors and collisions.Statistics on Human Driving Errors Causing Car CrashesIndiana University conducted an eye-opening study about the percentage of car accidents caused by human error. They found that human error was the primary contributor in 93 percent of the collisions they examined.The top three human mistakes that led to car crashes were:InattentivenessSpeedingImproper lookoutThe study also noted that environmental factors were the primary cause of 12 to 34 percent of accidents, and just 4 to 13 percent involved mechanical or other issues with one of the vehicles in the crash.The Insurance Information Institute (III) also recently conducted a study that broke down the percentages of human error-caused traffic collisions. Some things to note:5.5 percent of crashes were due to distracted driving11.6 percent of collisions involved alcohol or drugs3.2 percent of wrecks were caused by over-correcting or over-steering7.3 percent of crashes resulted from the careless operation of a vehicle2.2 percent of collisions were due to drowsy or fatigued driving6.8 percent of wrecks were caused by failure to yield the right-of-way19.1 percent of crashes were due to speeding or driving too fast for road or weather conditionsCommon Types of Human Mistakes That Lead to CollisionsSome everyday mistakes drivers make can have catastrophic consequences, like:Failing to brake soon enough and then slamming on the brakesMisjudging the distance between themselves and another vehicle or the turn they need to makeTrying to make it through an intersection before the light changes, and running a red light insteadSpeedingNot checking blind spots before merging or changing lanesCauses of Human Driver ErrorsHumans make mistakes, but deadly situations can occur when they get behind the wheel of a car, truck, or commercial semi after drinking, when they\u2019re too tired to operate the vehicle, or when they\u2019re too distracted to think clearly.Common human driving errors include:Drunk driving \u2013 Alcohol impairs a driver\u2019s coordination, vision, and ability to make appropriate decisions.Drowsy driving \u2013 Drowsiness and fatigue have much the same effect on a driver as alcohol or drugs. Any degree of impairment can lead to a crash.Distracted driving \u2013 Texting, putting on makeup, and eating behind the wheel are all forms of distracted driving that remove a driver\u2019s hands, eyes, or focus from driving.Recognition errors \u2013 Sometimes, drivers mistake one object for another or fail to notice a smaller-profile vehicle on the roadway in time.Decision errors \u2013 Sometimes, people make bad decisions behind the wheel, like speeding or driving too fast for inclement weather conditions.Performance errors \u2013 Performance errors refer to a driver’s physical missteps, like accidentally shifting into neutral by mistake or turning the steering wheel too hard and overcorrecting.Contact Our Alabama Car Accident Lawyers for Help After Someone Else’s Error Causes a CrashHave you been injured in a collision caused by another driver\u2019s mistake? Contact our experienced car accident attorneys at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., today for a free consultation about your case."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Human Error?","item":"https:\/\/www.mkhlawyers.com\/blog\/what-percentage-of-car-accidents-is-caused-by-human-error\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]