According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), there are about 1.5 million weather-related car accidents a year. About 7,100 people are killed and more than 629,000 injured in weather-related accidents every year. Nearly 900 people a year are killed in accidents caused by snow or sleet on the roadway.
It is crucial to know how to handle your vehicle in poor weather including rain, snow, sleet, or hail in order to avoid accidents. It would be in drivers’ best interests to stay off the road in rough weather. When it is not avoidable, there are some safety tips drivers can follow to better prepare themselves for potentially hazardous road conditions. Drive slowly and leave ample room to stop. Avoid slamming your brakes and try to ease to a stop. Turn on your lights, even in the daytime, to increase visibility. Keep your windshield and headlights clean. Don’t use cruise control and don’t assume your car or truck can handle all weather conditions, even if it has four-wheel drive.
Even if drivers follow all of these safety rules, there are factors outside his or her control that can contribute to an accident. The governmental agency charged with the oversight of a roadway is expected to maintain it and reduce or eliminate hazardous circumstances. This includes removing ice, snow, and sleet from the street.
If you or a loved has been injured in a New York traffic accident, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help. Please call our offices at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit our website: www.work4youlaw.com
Source: USA Today