Did you know that around 21% of vehicle crashes are due to bad weather conditions? Also, around 100,000 individuals get injured yearly from icy or snowy road crashes. This reflects the risks that winter weather poses to motorists and drivers. Read on to learn more about the possible dangers of driving during winter, how you can avoid them, and how getting a car accident lawyer benefits you.
Lack of Visibility
On an average day, regular old wipers can solve any obstruction that blocks your view of the road. However, dense snowfall accompanied by strong winds and fog can lead to almost zero visibility in winter.
This makes motorists, even particularly skilled ones, more susceptible to accidents. These include hitting obscured light posts, another passing vehicle, or unsuspecting pedestrians, and even going through a cliff. Thankfully, you can avoid these accidents by driving more vigilantly, like reducing speed for a better road feel.
Slippery Roads
During winter days, black ice is your tough enemy. Imagine a hard-to-spot, thin layer of ice covering the road while driving 50 miles an hour. Even at moderate speeds, the ice can cause any vehicle to skid out of control.
One common accident from such slippery roads is rear-end collisions. As you could hardly slow down or stop, you might hit the car in front of you or vice versa. You may also experience a sick version of Tokyo drift when slippery roads cause your vehicle to slide through intersections, infrastructure, or even pedestrians. An un-kept parking lot can cause you to hit posts or other parked vehicles, too.
To avoid accidents on slippery roads, drive at relatively slower speeds, allot an adequate buffer space between you and the car ahead, and take extra caution when you need to slow down, stop, or park.
Poorly Maintained Vehicle
Icy roads and poorly maintained vehicles are the perfect recipe for a disaster. A worn-out tire, for instance, makes it more challenging to turn, slow down, or stop. The lack of working windshield wipers and defrosters too worsens the obscured visibility caused by fog and snow.
Broken headlights and taillights make it hard for you and other drivers to see your car through all that snow. To help ensure safety, perform the appropriate systems check and vehicle maintenance before traversing through the snow path.
Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer
Weather-related vehicle accidents include several factors. For instance, the combination of a lack of road maintenance and bad weather leads to more serious accidents. In other instances, drivers show negligence and break road rules. Regardless of the weather conditions, they’re still at fault.
Given that every situation is different, getting a highly skilled Toledo car accident lawyer like Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault is crucial. Whether you need help identifying fault for the accident, working with your insurance provider, or receiving compensation for your injuries, our firm has got you covered.
Work With Expert Car Accident Lawyers
Driving during winter can be dangerous, from low visibility and slippery roads to poor vehicle maintenance. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, contact Gallon Law, and we’ll represent you and help you get the compensation you may be entitled to!
Jonathan Ashton, Partner and Personal Injury Attorney, began his law career at GT&B in 2007 as a law clerk. He was hired as an associate immediately after passing the Ohio Bar in 2008. Jonathan practices in Personal Injury, representing clients who have been injured and need justice and compensation for them to move forward in their lives.
