Virginia is a comparatively safe state for motorists. In fact, according to researchers, the Old Dominion is the 37th most dangerous state for drivers. Still, because around 70% of motor vehicle accidents occur within 10 miles of home, state safety statistics may not paint a realistic picture of your risk.
You probably cannot avoid driving altogether. You can, though, understand why car crashes tend to occur near home. Here are three primary reasons:
1. You frequently drive near your house
The biggest reason car crashes tend to occur near home is that you drive on roadways around your house more frequently than other places. As you likely know, the more you drive, the greater your chances of a collision.
2. You encounter road construction
Familiarity can be a problem. After all, old habits are hard to break. If you encounter road construction or different traffic patterns near your home, you may not know how to navigate them. Even worse, your trained brain may tell you to proceed in a risky manner. Either way, when things change on your morning or evening commute, your likelihood of a car accident increases.
3. You have a false sense of security
Finally, driving on familiar roadways near your place of residence may lure you into a false sense of security. That is, you may think you can drive the roadways around your home blindfolded. Of course, though, you cannot. If you let familiarity encourage you to drive while distracted, you may find yourself in the middle of a collision.
By understanding why car accidents often occur near your home, you can better plan for staying safe on Virginia’s roadways. By focusing on alert driving, you can also likely minimize your odds of sustaining a serious injury in a car collision within a few miles of your place of residence.
