Car Accident Attorneys speak on Stormy Weather on the Road
photo credit: On the road via photopin (license)
Every driver knows that inclement weather makes for the most dangerous road conditions—and drivers in the Pacific Northwest should be particularly aware of the great risks they face in dreary weather given the region’s reputation for rain.
Whether you’re up against rain, snow, hail, fog, black ice, or other hazards, it’s vital that you always maintain the highest degree of alertness to your surroundings on the road so as to counterbalance and neutralize any threats that may arise. Moreover, these hazards can be magnified by a vast array of other potential risk factors, such as: carelessness in other drivers, aggressive driving, construction, highway defects and neglect, or premises liabilities.
Because other drivers pose perhaps the most significant danger, it’s particularly important that you always maintain your composure and drive defensively (and never offensively). While driving during heavy precipitation, make sure to slow down to the point that you’ll have enough time to stop in order to avoid a rear-end collision with the car in front of you. Take care to do this gradually, so that any cars behind you are aware that you’re slowing down and understand that they will need to as well in order to avoid colliding with the rear-end of your car. You’ll also need to make sure your lights are all on—regardless of the time of day or night—so that your brake lights and turn signals will shine clearly through whatever weather conditions are causing you difficulty. Turn off your music in favor of traffic radio or silence, eliminate any other distractions, and concentrate fully on driving.
Sometimes you may find that the biggest dangers you face on the road might not be other drivers but the road itself. As you may know from your past travels, proper highway maintenance is unfortunately not always a priority. Potholes, obstructed highways, and other such perils tend to abound on Washington highways due to roadway budget deficits that often leave considerable dangers in their wake. If you feel that an car accident you were involved in may have been caused or affected by a poorly maintained road, by potholes, or by some other road obstruction, you would be well-advised to seek legal counsel on your options from a local Tacoma Car Accident Attorney as soon as possible.