Wet Roads And Car Accidents

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There's no doubt about it – when road surfaces are wet it takes a lot longer to come to a stop. When it comes to wet roads, your chances of being involved in an accident increase. Brakes have to be applied early to avoid things like rear-end collisions, skids that cross lanes of traffic, and more. Read on to learn more about the dangers of driving on wet roads and how to take action if you have been the victim of a careless driver.

Wet Road Hazards

You might naturally be on the alert when you encounter a sudden, blinding downpour. Even a small amount of water on the road, however, can cause problems. A bit of water from a nearby irrigation system, for example, can affect the ability of your tires to gain traction. Below are some common causes of wet road accidents:

1. Speed – What might be a perfectly safe speed on a dry road can be hazardous on a wet road. Even if you are obeying the speed limit, those numbers are the top speed and not the minimum. All drivers are expected to slow down when road conditions are compromised. If you get hit by a driver who was obeying the speed limit, they might be liable due to failing to take road conditions into account.

2. SpacingWhen the roadway is wet, it takes longer to come to a halt. When driving in traffic, stay well behind other drivers to avoid rear-end crashes. The old three-second rule might need to be modified for wet road conditions to avoid slamming on the brakes and skidding into the car in front.

3. Turns – When your tires are unable to grip while turning, skids are common. Other drivers may apply the brakes during a turn in an attempt to slow the car and then enter into your lane of travel when they skid. Give others a wide berth on rainy day turns.

4. Equipment – It's vital that your windshield wipers be capable of keeping your field of vision unobstructed so check them often and replace them as needed. You should also turn your headlights on to help others spot you.

The Presumption of Fault

When it comes to rear-end crashes, the driver who hit your rear is almost always at fault. As the driver of the car in front, you cannot control the actions of the driver behind you. Some drivers who cause rear-end wrecks claim that they were unable to stop because the car in front came to a sudden stop. That is not an acceptable excuse nor does it affect liability. All drivers are expected to pay attention to the flow of traffic and leave enough room between vehicles.

It's vital that you both drive defensively and take action when you have been hit by another driver. Your actions prior to the wreck could be found to have contributed to the accident. When you are found to be partially at fault for the accident, it reduces the amount of financial compensation you might be awarded. Speak to a personal injury lawyer to learn more.

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7 December 2018

Understanding Accident Lawsuits

After I was in a car accident, I wasn't sure what I was going to do in the future. I had some really significant back and neck pain, so I started talking with a lawyer about how to recover some of my losses. I began working with an attorney to take care of things, but I was nervous about how the process would unfold. I began working with the attorney to evaluate every component of the incident, and help me to decode the problems I was faced with. We worked on learning more about the lawsuit, and it helped me to make sense of the situation. Learn more about accidents on this blog.