Simple Traffic Maneuver Responsible for Three-Quarters of Car Accidents, Study Reveals

When people envision traffic accidents, they might imagine a dramatic car crash caused by reckless behavior. The reality, however, is that most traffic accidents are caused by something much simpler – lane changes. 

A recent study, from researchers at Lanzhou Jiaotong University, in China, revealed that 75% of traffic accidents occur when drivers make errors switching lanes. 

The purpose of the study was to provide information for people developing self-driving cars – which sometimes fail to change lanes appropriately, resulting in car accidents. 

The researchers argues that a better comprehension of how and why people shift to different lanes is necessary as self-driving cars become increasingly common. 

“Understanding vehicle changes is of great significance to the popularization of autonomous driving and ensuring the safety of human life and property,” the study says. 

The dangers of self-driving cars failing to change lanes correctly aren’t just theoretical. In January, a self-driving Tesla caused a traffic accident which injured nine people, including a child, when the car made an error switching lanes. 

The Tesla was changing lanes on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, when it suddenly braked in the left lane, directly in the path of other cars, according to the Intercept. 

While the Lanzhou Jiaotong University study had a particular focus on autonomous driving, humans also often make dangerous mistakes while maneuvering through traffic.

Past research has revealed that most people who caused accidents when changing lanes were not paying appropriate attention to the road.

In a 2020 study, published by the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences, researchers found that 57% of all people surveyed about their involvement in lane change accidents said that distracted driving had led to their unsafe driving decisions.