Look in a dictionary under "accident" and you will see something like this:-
1. An unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause.
2. Anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance.
3. A misfortune or mishap especially one causing injury or death.
"Unforeseen" should never happen in driving. As you drive along, there is only one state of mind to be in, and that is to accept that anything can happen, anywhere and at any time, and that if it can happen, then it probably will.
"Without apparent cause" simply does not happen in driving. Something always causes the accident, be it driver, vehicle, or "Act of God".
"Unintentionally", well I don't think anyone intends to have an "accident", so let's skip that one.
"By chance" is a different matter, and here we are into the "Act of God" stuff. However this is very, very rare. We often hear, "It came from nowhere, I didn't stand a chance". This is rubbish. If you were driving as in "unforeseen", above, this can't happen.
It has become apparent to me that accidents occur when two road users, both doing something wrong, meet. This "doing something wrong" can be an actual act or the failure to notice or anticipate someone else doing something wrong. And there we are into "unforeseen" again.
ALL the following, and others, committed on a regular basis, or just the once if you are unlucky, WILL sooner or later result in number 3 aforementioned.
Turning your head away from the road to talk.
Using a hand held mobile whilst driving.
Not looking all round when driving in car parks.
Not looking when moving off from the side of the road.
Going over the speed limit (see below).
Approaching give way lines on the assumption you can go.
Not keeping your distance.
Driving too close to parked vehicles.
Cutting in after overtaking.
Overtaking just before a junction, particularly if you are going to turn.
Late braking for a give way line, or when traffic ahead has stopped normally.
Not putting the handbrake on at a stop sign.
Not assuming that every parked vehicle conceals something that can suddenly come in front of you.
Not stopping at amber traffic lights, when it is safe to do so.
Not using mirrors properly before doing anything that might inconvenience anyone behind you.
Any form of retaliation.
A further word about speeding. If you are doing 40 in a 30 area, it is not the actual speed that is the danger, but the fact that you are going faster than another road user, like a pedestrian or car waiting to pull out, might expect. They will misjudge your speed. This is their error. The speed is your error. Two errors together. We are back to number 3 again. And of course we all should know by now that successively higher impact speeds do successively more harm.
The other sort of speeding is going too fast for the situation, like busy, congested, parked up shopping streets. Or back roads all parked up and hiding minor side roads. Or approaching too fast to a pedestrian crossing. Or turning too fast into a side road without regard for what might be in there.
ALWAYS DRIVE AT SUCH A SPEED THAT YOU CAN STOP IN THE DISTANCE YOU CAN SEE TO BE CLEAR.
That includes bends, hill tops, following other vehicles, fog and anywhere where forward visibility is reduced.
You probably do some of the above most of the time. This should give you serious thought. It can happen to you.
Enjoy your driving!