The most common causes of car accidents in Oklahoma City are distracted driving, driver inattention, and drunk driving. Texting while driving is illegal under 47 O.S. § 11-901d. Inexperienced teen drivers, rideshare and bus wrecks, and disputes with insurance adjusters also contribute to local crash claims.
Every year, we review cases to figure out fault after an Oklahoma City car wreck, and the same handful of causes keep showing up. Knowing what typically causes a wreck can help you and your lawyer figure out who was at fault and what evidence to gather for your claim.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Oklahoma City
Distracted driving is the most frequent cause we see, whether a driver is texting, dialing a phone, or adjusting the radio instead of watching the road. Speeding and other reckless driving are close behind; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks speeding as one of the leading factors in fatal crashes nationwide. Driver inattention that falls short of full distraction, like failing to check a blind spot or misjudging another driver’s speed, is the second most common cause we see. Drunk driving is the third most common cause of the wrecks we handle, and it often leads to more serious injuries because an impaired driver frequently fails to brake or react before impact.
Teen and Inexperienced Drivers
In Oklahoma City, the earliest a person can legally begin driving is age 15, but only while receiving instruction from a certified driving instructor. At 15 and a half, a learner’s permit becomes available, which still requires driver’s education or supervised instruction. At 16, a learner’s permit no longer requires driver’s education if the applicant has passed the written and vision exams.
A driver with a learner’s permit may only drive between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. and must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old. An Intermediate License loosens some of these restrictions but still limits driving outside school, church, or work activities between those hours unless a licensed adult 21 or older is in the vehicle. These restrictions exist because inexperienced drivers are more prone to accidents, and we regularly see wrecks involving new drivers, along with questions about parental liability when a teen driver causes a wreck.
Common Carriers, Rideshare, and Insurance Company Claims
Buses, including OKC’s EMBARK public transit system, are common carriers. If a bus driver is at fault for a wreck, any injured passenger can generally recover. Because EMBARK is a governmental entity, a claim against it falls under the Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act. The claim must be presented within one year of the loss under 51 O.S. § 156. If the agency does not act on the claim within 90 days, it is deemed denied, and under 51 O.S. § 157 the claimant then has 180 days from that denial to file suit, not 180 days to give initial notice. This process does not apply to private carriers, such as a privately owned party bus. See our page on wrecks involving a government vehicle for more on how these deadlines work.
Uber and Lyft are also common in Oklahoma City, and from a legal standpoint, an Uber and Lyft accident claim is handled much like an ordinary car wreck, though figuring out whether the driver’s insurance or the rideshare company’s insurance applies can take extra work.
Most defense claims we see are handled by large insurers like State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers, whose in-house claims departments have less incentive to settle before a lawsuit is filed than an outside defense firm would. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office tracks statewide crash data each year, and our own Oklahoma City car accident statistics page breaks down what we see locally. Fault often comes down to moving violations cited at the scene, and claims involving commercial vehicles often carry higher policy limits and more insurers to negotiate with.
If you were hurt in a crash caused by any of these common factors, the attorneys at Hasbrook & Hasbrook can help you sort out fault and pursue the compensation your case is worth.
