Don't Deal With a Personal Injury On Your Own

It's Raining Accidents

30 August 2017 by Joan Bradley

You don't need to be a physics major to understand that you cannot come to a stop as quickly on roads that are slippery and wet. Some people, however, seem to disregard the wet and dangerous conditions and end up getting into a wreck. Each person driving on wet roads has a responsibility to drive at a heightened level of care, but wrecks naturally occur when drivers follow too closely, make turns too fast, or get distracted by the rain. Rainy day accidents can present some unique circumstances, so read on to learn more.

A little rain shower

You might be surprised at how little water needs to be on the road for problems to occur, so don't overlook the potential for accidents just because it's only a light rain shower. Bad driving when the roads are dry can turn into dangerous driving when the roads are wet, and below are just a few careless driving habits exhibited by drivers that can cause accidents.

Common unsafe driving habits

1. Following too closely to the car in front: Tailgating is a bad habit anytime, but tires have a lot less stopping power on wet roads. If you are driving on dry roads, experts recommend using the "3 second rule." When driving on wet roads, you must be even more cautious about following too closely or you could find yourself hitting the car in front of you.

2. Driving too fast: Many people get a bit confused about speed limits; you should understand that a speed limit is just that, a limit. You are not required to drive that fast, just not to exceed that number. You are supposed to slow down and account for road conditions.

3. Taking turns too fast: Going into a skid due to a slick road can cause some serious wrecks. Just as your tires have more trouble grabbing wet pavement when stopping, they also have traction problems when you are making turns. A skidding car can hit other cars, be hit by other cars traveling at high rates of speed, or end up in ditches or bodies of water.

The at fault party

While it is often the back vehicle at fault in rear end collisions, there are some situations that could call for some shared liability (or fault) when rear end collisions occur. For example, say you are traveling in one lane of traffic when a car enters your lane suddenly. If you hit that car, you may not be at fault since you had little to no time to react to it. If you are the victim of an accident, no matter what the weather was like, speak to a personal injury attorney.

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