The Many Costs of Negligent Driving

Every city in the United States has negligent drivers on the road.

negligent driver in st louis car accident

In a perfect world, there would be no negligent drivers. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Every city in the United States has negligent drivers on the road.  If you are a negligent driver, then it is time to reflect on and adjust your behavior. Consider the many costs of unsafe driving.

Tickets

The most obvious, and most likely, result of negligent driving is getting tickets. While you may be able to avoid the other traps on this list, you will likely get pulled over by the police at some point. The simple truth is that if you engage in negligent behavior continually, you will get caught. When you do, the officer will almost certainly give you a ticket, which may require you to pay a substantial fine, or worse.

Property Damage

Next, we have property damage. Unsafe driving habits almost always lead to car accidents, and when they do, you will likely be held responsible. Whether you choose to repair or are forced to purchase a new vehicle altogether, you’re going to have a significant expense to deal with. What is so dangerous about doing so is that you may not have the savings to cover all of the costs. The result may be a financial hole that takes years to get out of.

Medical Expenses

In the worst situations, your negligent driving could lead to getting in an accident. Some typical injuries that come about as a result are broken bones, sprains, whiplash, and concussions. As you might imagine, each of these conditions requires professional medical treatment, and that attention has associated costs. The most severe cases will lead to a lifetime of expenses, as you must continue treatment indefinitely.

Damage Caused to Someone Else

If you get into a car accident with another person, there is a good chance that you and your insurance company will have to a substantial sum. The reason is that you could be on the hook for costs like property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, and many more.

Insurance

Lastly, every ticket and accident makes you a more costly person to insure. What your provider will likely do is raise your rates, or they might end up dropping you as a client altogether. That latter will require you to find a new company to cover you. Both results will lead to a much higher monthly premium.

St. Louis Car Accident Attorney

Most people would agree that there is a moral aspect to safe driving, as hitting and injuring another person often results in tragedy. Still, drivers can look to other sources of motivation to stay safe on the road. One of them is remembering the monetary cost of negligence and actively trying to avoid those expenses. Of course, you could end up as the unlucky victim of someone else’s unsafe driving. If this is the case, it is time to talk to a St. Louis car accident lawyer.


Updated: July 12, 2021