When you think of serious car accidents, you may think of multiple vehicles sustaining considerable damage and the vehicle occupants suffering severe injuries. While this type of scenario could certainly constitute a serious crash, multiple vehicles do not always have to be involved in an accident for it to have devastating outcomes. Single-vehicle crashes can just as easily cause injuries or even death.Unfortunately, many factors could contribute to this type of accident occurring. Even if you trust the person whose vehicle you ride in, he or she could still participate in dangerous activities behind the wheel or not take proper precautions when it comes to remaining safe on the road.Factors that cause single-vehicle accidentsMany factors that lead to a multi-vehicle accidents could also lead to single-vehicle crashes. Some of those potential contributors include:

• Distractions
• Failing to accommodate for road conditions
• Objects — such as rocks, tree branches or pieces of a blown tire — hitting the vehicle
• Attempting to avoid an animal in the road
• Sunlight hitting the driver in the eyes
• Driving over pot holes or other damaged parts of a road

Distraction remains a serious concern for any driver, and you as a passenger could find yourself at serious risk of suffering injuries in an accident if the person driving the vehicle texts, makes phone calls, changes the radio or participates in any number of other distracting activities.Preventing single-vehicle accidentsDrivers should take precautions to avoid most of the mentioned factors that could lead to a single-vehicle accident. The one factor that may prove most difficult to avoid relates to flying object hitting the vehicle. Often, these objects come into view so quickly that a driver has little time to react and avoid the object. However, drivers could take the following steps to travel more safely:

• Putting down the phone and avoiding other distractions
• Driving slower when roads are icy or wet
• Utilizing sun visors and sunglasses to avoid sun glare
• Scanning ahead for possible dangers in the road

In the event that you suffer injuries in a single-vehicle accident, you may wish to determine whether the driver acted in a negligent manner. If so, you may have reason to pursue a personal injury claim that could help you seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the incident.