You have likely heard someone say that most car accidents happen very close to home. And this is true. One study determined that about 77% of those who had been injured in motor vehicle accidents had been within 10 miles of their house at the time.
As a driver, however, you may find this a bit confusing. It feels more dangerous to drive on roads that you are less familiar with. It’s easier to get confused or make mistakes. Why is it that people tend to crash on the roads they drive on most often?
Frequency of exposure
The most obvious reason is simply that, every time you drive your car, you are exposed to the potential risk of being injured in an accident. Most trips that people take are not very long. If you only have to drive a few miles to get to work or to get to the store, you may be within 10 miles of your house on the vast majority of your drives. This simply means that crashing at any time is probably going to occur within that zone and that’s where your risks are highest.
The role of complacency
However, there’s also something to be said for drivers becoming complacent on familiar roads. When you’re driving somewhere else, you may be more nervous and more alert, feeling very conscious of the fact that the roads are confusing and you could be injured in an accident. Since you are so focused, you end up driving safely. Closer to home, you feel safe, but that can lead to careless actions and overconfidence.
If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by another driver, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.