Wet Pavement and Reckless Drivers—A Deadly Combination

hen in

nd thunde

sto

oll into to

n, collisions on

dys

ys seem to follo

. F

om single-c

ecks to multi-vehicle collisions

nd pileups,

ccidents in

iny

the

n inflict dev

ting d

ge to vehicles

nd c

ophic inju

ies to thei

occup

nts. The

e is no question d

iving in b

the

ises youisk of

ccident

nd inju

y. Ho

eve

ds cont

ibute to the c

use of de

dly

ccidents even

hen the in isn’t f

lling… especi

lly

hen they’

e combined

ith

eckless d

iving beh

vio

s th

t heighten the

isk of

csh. Let’s t

look

t the d

nge

s of

ds, ho

eckless d

iving on them c

n le

d to tgic

ccidents,

nd hon expe

ienced

ccident inju

y l

n help victims obt

in the compens

tion they dese

ve.

The D
nge
s of
et P
vement<
h2>
et
o
d conditions c
n m
ke d
iving
ch
llenge. They’
e
n obvious h
zd to moto
ists, pedest
i
ns,
nd othe
s. The<
h
ef=”https://ops.fh

.dot.gov/
e
the

q1_
o
dimp
ct.htm"
el=”nofollo
"> U.S. Deptment of Tnspo
t
tion (DOT)<> tcked
nd
epo
ted h
zds
nd c

shes involving v

ious
e
the
conditions ove 10-ye pe
iod.
et p
vement not only
ccounted fo
the highest pe
cent
ge of ove

ll
e
the
-
el
ted
ccidents, but it
lso coel
ted
ith the highest tes of
ccident inju
ies
nd f
t
lities.

The DOT
epo
ted
n
nnu
l
ve

ge of ove
860,000
ccidents
el
ted to
et p
vement. These
ccidents included 324,000 inju
ies
nd ove
4,000 f
t
lities
nnu
lly. These st
gge
ing numbe
s
eve
l th
t
et p
vement poses

e
l d
nge
to d
ive
s
nd p
ssenge
s
c
oss the count
y.

Not Just
iny D
y D
nge
<
h3>
s
nyone kno
s,
et p
vement
ill occu
du
ing
nd
fte

insto
m,
nd c
n combine
ith othe
h
z

ds such
s dec
e
sed visibility
nd high
inds to c
e
te d
nge
ous d
iving conditions.

Ho
eve
, d
ive
s c
n encounteet p
vement
t othe
times, too.
o
ds st
y
et
fte
the

in stops f
lling, of cou
se. Mist, fog,
nd mo
ning de
c
n
ll
lso deposit moistu
e on the p
vement
nd m
ke it slick. In colde
pts of the count
y, melting sno
o
ice c
n
lso c
use
et p
vement, even on
sunny d
y. The possibility of encounte
ing
et
o
ds in non-iny conditions poses
p

ticul

h
zd bec
use d
ive
beh
vio
s c
n ch
nge
ith the
e
the
. M
ny d
ive
s slo
do
n du
ing

inf
ll bec
use they
nticip
te slippe
y
o
ds. Ho
eve
, d
ive
s do not necessily expect to d
ive on
et
o
ds in b
ight
e
the
,
hich c
n
esult in them exe
cising less c
ution.

D
nge
ous

te
-
el
ted D
iving Conditions

on o

d su

ce c

ffect d

ive

nd vehicles in vious ys. Some

isks

ppent just by looking

t the

d, but othe

s tend to st

y hidden until

ive

feels thei

effects.

The m

ny d

nge

s of d

iving on

et su

ce include:

i
-level="1">
educed f
iction bet
een vehicle ti
es
nd the
o
d

y,
hich m
kes stopping h

de

nd inc
e
ses the ch
nce of
loss of cont
ol<
li>
i
-level="1">The mixtu
e of

te

ith oil, othe
subst
nces,
nd deb
is c
e
ting slick su
f
ces
i
-level="1">Gle f
om sun o
he
dlights
eflecting off of the
et
o
d su
f
ce
nd tempo
ily blinding d
ive
s
i
-level="1">
ccumul
tions of st
nding

te
, especi
lly
hen d
ive
s c
nnot dete
mine the depth<
li>
i
-level="1">D
m
ge to
o
d su
f
ces c
used by

te
seep
ge o

unoff, including b
oken p
vement, lo
shoulde
s, he
ves, sinkholes,
nd potholes

ny d

ive

y st

uggle

ith keeping cont

ol of

vehicle upon encounte

ing these conditions. eckless d

ive

—someone

ho speeds, o

simply dis

ds these h

zds—

uns

n especi

lly high

isk of getting into

ccident

hen these conditions

ise.

The Toll of
et
e
theccidents in Tex
s

The v

st l

ndsc

pe of Tex

s sees

ide v

iety of

the

conditions th

oughout the ye

t c

n le

ve its

nd slick. F

om thunde

sto

ms, hu

nes, fog,

nd even ice

nd sno

, Tex

s d

ive

s must p

e to encounte

ny numbe

the

conditions on thei

ily d

ives

nd commutes. The<

ef="https:

/ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/t

sh_st

tistics

2019/24.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“> Tex

s Deptment of Tnspo

tion

epo

ts<> th

t the m

ity of t

ffic

ccidents in the Lone St St

te occu

ing cle

cloudy conditions. Ho

eve

, the

iskiest inclement

the

condition le

ding to

ccidents in the st

te is

in. Out of ove

560,000 tot

l Tex

s cshes in ecent ye, ove

50,000 occu

ed in

iny conditions. 9,082 of those

ccidents c

used inju

ies,

nd 234 involved f

lities. In

ddition, snond sleet

ccounted fo

just shy of 1,000 cshes, including 2 f

ccidents.

s f

equent

ccidents e in Tex

s, these st

tistics still only

eflect p

t of the toll

ds t

ke on Tex

s moto

ists, bec

use they do not necessily c

ptu

e the

ole of

et p

vement in

ccidents th

t occu

hen it sn’t

ctively

ining, sleeting, o

sno

ing.

Only D
ive
s C
n P
event
et
o
d D
iving
ccidents<
h2>
et
o
ds by themselves do not c
use
ccidents. Cshes h
ppen on them bec
use of the poo
choices d
ive
s m
ke behind the
heel
s they
e
ct to
et
o
d conditions.

Common mist
kes th
t d
ive
s c
n m
ke th
t heighten theiisk of getting into et p
vement
ccident include:

-level=”1″>Mispe
ceiving in
s less d
nge
ous th
n sno
o
ice<
li>

i
-level="1"><
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
f
t
l-speeding-
ccident-pe
cent/”>Speeding > in
et conditions

i
-level="1">Follo
ing othe
vehicles too closely on
et
o
ds

i
-level="1"><
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
ti
e-blo
out-
ccident
“>D
iving on ti
es
ith insufficient t
e
d<><
li>

i
-level="1">Le
ving home
ithout
p
i
of sungl
sses to comb
t
et
o
d gle<
li>

i
-level="1">D
iving th
ough flooded e
s

eckless D
iving C
n Le
d to Hyd
opl
ning on
et
o
ds<
h2>
et p
vement
ccidents often
esult f
om <
h
ef="https:
/
.c
ndd
ive
.com/shopping-
dvice26311127
hyd
opl
ning-definition-p
event-
ecove
ing
” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”nofollo
noopene
“>hyd
opl
ning >, in
hich
vehicle’s ti
es lose cont
ct
ith the
o
d su
f
ce
nd the d
ive
loses cont
ol. Hyd
opl
ning c
n occu
in
ny
et
o
d condition
nd it c
n be
t
uly f
ightening expe
ience.

<
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.comh
t-is-
eckless-d
iving/”>D
iving beh
vio
s th
t heighten the
isk<> of hyd
opl
ning include:

-level=”1″> ong>D
iving full-speed th
ough st
nding

te
-<
st
ong> It t
kes ve
y little teccumul
tion fo

vehicle to hyd
opl
ne. D
ive
s f
equently m
ke the mist
ke of f
iling to slo
do
n
hen they encounte
st
nding te
,
nd thei
ti
es lose cont
ct
ith the
o
d
s

esult.

i
-level="1">ong>Speeding on
ny
et
o
d su
f
ce – ong> Tveling too f
st on
et
o
ds c
n c
use you
c

’s ti
es to lose the
bility to m
int
in t

ction. Keep in mind th
t posted speed limits e often fo
ide
l conditions,
nd th
t you must slo
do
n
hen
o
ds get
et to
djust fo
the d
nge
of losing cont
ol.

i
-level="1">ong>D
iving
ith insufficient ti
e t
e
d -<
st
ong>
o
n-out ti
es
ith insufficient t
e
d c
nnot pump enough

te

y to keep you
ti
es in cont
ct
ith the
o
d su
f
ce.

et
o
d
ccidents C
use Se
ious Inju
ies
nd F
t
lities

cco

ding to the DOT, ove

4,000 de

ths

oughly 180,000 inju

ies e

ch ye

n be linked to

et p

vement

ccidents. Slick

d su

ces, dec

sed visibility, d

ged

ys,

nd he

vy t

ffic often combine to c

te <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

houston-de

dliest-pl

ce-to-d

ive

“>d

nge

ous d

iving conditions<>

nd inc

se the likelihood of c

ophic

ccidents.

et p

vement

ccident inju

ies c

n nge f

om mino

to seve

e, but

ny inju

y c

n h

sting imp

ct on

ccident victim. The dest

uction of you

vehicle, medic

l expenses

ted to you

inju

ies,

nd the imp

ct of those inju

ies on you

ily

outine c

n t

n unexpected

nd he

vy toll on you

life, no

nd in the futu

e. Common

et p

vement

ccident inju

ies include:

-level=”1″>B

in o
spin
l co
d inju
ies
i
-level="1">Fctu
ed bones o
disloc
tions
i
-level="1">
mput
tion<
li>
i
-level="1">Bu
ns
i
-level="1">Inju
ies to inte
n
l o
g
ns
i
-level="1">L
ce

tions, b
uises, o
contusions
i
-level="1">Soft tissue inju
ies including d
m
ged lig
ments
nd muscles

Tips fo
S
fe D
iving in
et
e
the
<
h2>
D
iving in
et conditions c
n p
esent m
ny d
nge
s to d
ive
s
nd p
ssenge
s t

veling on city st
eets, exp
ess

ys,
nd
u

l
o
ds.
hile you c
nnot cont
ol the othections of d
ive
s on the
o
d th
t could pl
ce you
t
isk of
n
ccident
nd inju
y, the
e

e some steps you c
n t
ke du
ing
dve
se
e
the
conditions to st
y
s s
fe
s possible.

Check the
e
the
Befo
e He
ding Out<
h3>
fe
minutes c
n m
ke
ll the diffe
ence. Use

e
thepp to check
nd see if
sto
m is p
ssing th
ough. Get into the h
bit of checking the
e
thelong yououte befo
e he
ding out. If the
e is d
nge
ous
e
the

pp
o
ching, conside
del
ying you
d
ive by
fe
minutes o
t
ke
n
lte
n
te
oute th
t c
n p
esent fe
e
d
nge
s
nd
isks.

Fo
ex
mple, high

ys du
ing in
nd thunde
sto
ms c
n be d
nge
ous. Vehicles
ill be t

veling
t high speed
long slick
nd congested
o
ds. If you c
n t

vel s
fely vin
lte
n
te
oute, then conside
doing so. Just be c

eful to
void potenti
l flood zones on
ul o
less-t

veled by

ys.

Keep You
Lights
nd
indshield
ipe
s On<
h3>
hen dk clouds
oll in, tu
n on you
he
dlights to imp
ove visibility fo
you
self
nd othe
d
ive
s.
s the in begins to f
ll, tu
n on youindshield
ipe
s to m
int
in
close eye on you
suoundings
nd vehicles
he
d.

M
ke su
e to
outinely check on the
e
nd te of youindshield
ipe
s
nd
epl
ce them
s needed.
o
n-out
ipe
s
ill do little to cle

moistu
e f
om you

indshield
nd c
n m
ke you
visibility even
o
se
ith smudging.

M
int
in You
Ti
es<
h3>
One of the most impo
t
nt steps you c
n t
ke to st
y s
fe on
et
o
dys is to ensu
e you
vehicle’s ti
es h
ve sufficient t
e
d fo
s
fe tvel. Lo
t
e
d
nd
o
n do
n ti
es
ill put you
t
g
e
te

isk of hyd
opl
ning du
ing
et conditions.

St
y
le
t
nd D
ive Slo

ke ext p

utions

hen d

iving in the in.

void

ll distctions

t du

ing inclement

the

educe you

speed

nd give you

self

mple sp

ce to stop o

move out of the y if the

e is

n unexpected h

d up

ds inc

se the stopping dist

nce fo

you

vehicle needs

ny speed.

void Flooded St
eets

ccumul

ted

inc

ses the

isk of you

vehicle hyd

opl

ning. It c

n be difficult to

void teccumul

tion on the

ds especi

lly du

ing he

vy do

npou

s. T

y you

best to

void flood-p

one e

s. Get to highe

ound

s quickly

s possible.

If you find you

self in

situ

tion

e you hyd

opl

nd lose cont

ol of you

vehicle, t

ke you

foot off of the

cceletond m

neuve

you

vehicle to s

fety. Sl

mming on you

bkes o

king sudden tu

ns c

n c

use you

vehicle to continue to b

el do

n the

nd inc

se you

isk of

ollove

collision.

Pull Ove

nd

it it Out

If the

the

s unexpectedly t

ken

n fo

the

se, o

you find you

self in

nge

ous situ

tion on

et p

ved

ds, then conside

pulling ove

sho

t time

ssess the situ

tion. Oftentimes, sto

ms move th

ough quickly,

nd just

minutes c

n m

big diffe

ence in the conditions you

ill f

ce on the

Compens
tion fo

et
o
d
eckless D
iving
ccidents<
h2>
n
ccident on
et p
vement c
n le
d to seve
e d
m
ge to you
vehicle,
s
ell
s c
t
st
ophic inju
ies to you
nd you
loved ones. In
c

sh c
used by someone else’s
eckless d
iving in
et conditions, you m
y t
ke leg
l
ction seeking compens
tion fo
you
inju
ies
nd losses, including p
yment fo
:

-level=”1″>Expenses
el
ted to medic
l ce, t
e
tment,
nd
eh
bilit
tion<
li>

i
-level="1">
eimbu
sement fo
lost

ges due to missed
o
k
nd imp
cts on you
futu
e income o
enings<
li>

i
-level="1">P
in
nd suffe
ing
el
ted to the
ccident
nd inju
ies<
li>

i
-level="1">The ongful de
th of
loved one lost in the
ccident

i
-level="1">Pe
son
l p
ope
ty o
vehicle
ep
i
oepl
cement

No one c
n gu
ntee th
t you
ill
eceive compens
tion
fte
getting hu
t in et
o
d-
el
ted collision c
used by

eckless d
ive
. Ho
eve
, hi
ing
n expe
ienced
ccident inju
y lyeho h
s ye

s of expe
ience
ep
esenting victims of
et
o
d
ccidents c
n put you in the best possible position to obt
in the p
yments you dese
ve.

Leg
l
ep
esent
tion fo
et P
vement
ccident

et p

vement

ccidents do not h

ppen solely bec

use of the

the

eckless d

iving beh

vio

s—such

s distcted d

iving, speeding,

nd imp

ope

vehicle m

inten

nce—c

ll heighten the

isk of

ious

ccident on

ds.

ccident inju

ed you o

loved one,

n expe

ienced <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

vices

–

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>c

ccident lye

> c

n help you get the compens

tion you dese

ve by <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

–

ccident-lsuit

“>

dvoc

ting fo

youights in

nd out of cou

t<>. Don’t del

y in seeking the leg

l help you need. Cont

ccident

tto

ney to discuss you

leg

ights

nd you

potenti

l case.

D ngeous te -el ted Diving Conditions

The Toll of et e theccidents in Texs

et o d ccidents C use Seious Inju ies nd F tlities

Mint in You Ti es<h3> One of the most impo tnt steps you c n tke to st y sfe on et o dys is to ensue you vehicle’s ties h ve sufficient te d fo s fe tvel. Lo t ed nd o n don ti es ill put you t g ete isk of hyd oplning du ing et conditions.

St y le t nd D ive Slo

void Flooded Steets

Pull Ove nd it it Out

Legl epesent tion fo et P vement ccident

Testimonials

Read More

D
nge
ous

te
-
el
ted D
iving Conditions

The Toll of
et
e
theccidents in Tex
s

et
o
d
ccidents C
use Se
ious Inju
ies
nd F
t
lities

M
int
in You
Ti
es<
h3>
One of the most impo
t
nt steps you c
n t
ke to st
y s
fe on
et
o
dys is to ensu
e you
vehicle’s ti
es h
ve sufficient t
e
d fo
s
fe tvel. Lo
t
e
d
nd
o
n do
n ti
es
ill put you
t
g
e
te

isk of hyd
opl
ning du
ing
et conditions.

St
y
le
t
nd D
ive Slo

void Flooded St
eets

Pull Ove

nd

it it Out

Leg
l
ep
esent
tion fo
et P
vement
ccident