Question

If my actions precipitate an accident, do I cause the accident or prevent it?​

Answer 1

When incidents are investigated, the emphasis should be concentrated on finding the root cause of the incident so you can prevent the event from happening again. The purpose is to find facts that can lead to corrective actions, not to find fault. Always look for deeper causes

Answer 2

The answer is “Cause”.

Precipitate is defined as “cause to happen suddenly”

So in this case, if your actions precipitated the accident, then your actions caused the accident to happen.

For example, if your actions were to swerve your car out of the way of a mattress on the road, but you accidentally slammed into a parked car, then your actions to swerve away from the mattress on the road precipitated or caused the accident.