The overwhelming majority of car accidents in Massachusetts are caused by some sort of human error. Mechanical failures, poor road surfaces or extreme weather conditions can cause accidents, but most crashes take place because drivers engage in reckless behavior like ignoring speed limits, running through red lights or using mobile devices while behind the wheel. When traffic accident deaths in the United States rose by a worrying 18% in 2022, road safety advocacy groups including the Governors Highway Safety Association blamed the increase on a surge in dangerous driving behavior.
Dangerous habits
The GHSA believes that American motorists developed dangerous driving habits when travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders were put into place. Now the roads are once again busy, these habits are causing tens of thousands of injuries and deaths according to the GHSA. All drivers have a duty of care to act responsibly and do all that they reasonably can to avoid injuring others, and they can be held accountable in civil court when they fail to meet this duty.
Holding reckless motorists accountable
The burden of proof in civil court is not as strict as it is in a criminal trial, which means a motor vehicle accident victim must only convince the jury that their account of the events in question is more likely true than false. When accident victims are able to meet this burden, reckless drivers can be ordered to pay economic and noneconomic damages.
Seeking compensation
American roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, and many experts blame the rise in accident deaths on reckless and dangerous behavior. If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a reckless driver, you could seek compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit. If you prevail, you could be awarded damages to compensate you for your medial bills, lost income, property damage and pain and suffering.
