Columbia Attorneys Working For People Injured In Accidents Caused By Hazardous Conditions
Deteriorating weather conditions and road defects cause thousands of accidents annually. A number of these accidents result in loss of life or cause serious injury. While some factors are beyond the operator’s control, many drivers take unnecessary risks when driving on roads with defects or in bad weather. Risky driving causes many accidents that are otherwise avoidable. The Solomon Law Group is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve if you were injured in an accident caused by drivers taking risks on unsafe roads or in bad weather.
Weather significantly affects driving in many ways. Bad weather can reduce visibility and reduce traction on the road. Bad weather also forces traffic to slow down, if not come to a complete standstill. This causes delays, sometimes significant delays, and always increases the risk for accidents when vehicles that are traveling too fast encounter slowed or stopped traffic. For whatever reason, many careless drivers ignore the obvious risks that weather presents. People are injured or killed when carless drivers take risks. Those careless drivers must be held accountable for their negligence or recklessness.
Slick or wet roads are generally to blame for weather related crashes. According to statistics generated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of all weather related accidents involved slick roads. That number does not account for the number of drivers who were driving too fast for the weather and road conditions. In fact, 74 percent of all weather related crashes occurred on wet pavement. Drivers speeding in adverse weather conditions can slide, hydroplane, and spin out, causing total loss of control over their cars and endangering everyone else on the road.
There are times when drivers lose control through no fault of their own, such as when driving over black ice. Black ice, by definition, cannot be seen. Notwithstanding, the cautious driver will consider the possibility of black ice warnings and slow down. Similarly, drivers should slow down and give plenty of space when driving in fog, wind, rain and snow. Furthermore, drivers must be aware that the number of cars that can safely travel on the road is reduced because of water or snow accumulation.
In addition to weather, road conditions also contribute to accidents. Roads in disrepair, with cracks, potholes, view obstructions or other hazards can cause serious problems. Adverse road conditions increase the risk of a crash, force drivers to slow down, which causes traffic jams and highway overcrowding. Drivers facing this situation can become frustrated, lose patience, and start to drive aggressively. Aggression behind the wheel leads to a greater risk of getting into an accident with another vehicle.
An experienced personal injury attorney will examine all salient aspects of your case and fight hard for your legal rights. Specifically, driver behavior before an accident such as speeding, failing to use signals, weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating or not having lights on in adverse weather are all significant in proving someone was driving carelessly in bad weather or on an unsafely maintained/designed road. The seasoned personal injury attorneys at The Solomon Law Group possess the knowledge and skill to present your case and highlight your safe driving while proving the other driver was driving in an unsafe manner for the weather and road conditions. Call The Solomon Law Group today at 803-219-8870 to discuss your rights and how we can help make a difference for you.