News & opinion Wet Pavement and Reckless Drivers—A Deadly Combination

Wet Pavement and Reckless Drivers—A Deadly Combination

TX Car Accident Lawyers
hen in

nd thunde

sto

ms

oll into to

n, collisions on

et

o

dys

l

ys seem to follo

. F

om single-c

ecks to multi-vehicle collisions

nd pileups,

ccidents in

iny

e

the

c

n inflict dev

st

ting d

m

ge to vehicles

nd c

t

st

ophic inju

ies to thei

occup

nts. The

e is no question d

iving in b

d

e

the

ises youisk of

n

ccident

nd inju

y. Ho

eve

,

et

o

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

ke

close

look

t the d

nge

s of

et

o

ds, ho

eckless d

iving on them c

n le

d to tgic

ccidents,

nd hon expe

ienced

ccident inju

y l

ye

c

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

te

on o

d su

f

ce c

n

ffect d

ive

s

nd vehicles in vious ys. Some

isks

e

ppent just by looking

t the

o

d, but othe

s tend to st

y hidden until

d

ive

feels thei

effects.

The m

ny d

nge

s of d

iving on

et su

f

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

m

y st

uggle

ith keeping cont

ol of

vehicle upon encounte

ing these conditions. eckless d

ive

—someone

ho speeds, o

simply dis

eg

ds these h

zds—

uns

n especi

lly high

isk of getting into

n

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

e

the

conditions th

oughout the ye

th

t c

n le

ve its

o

ds

et

nd slick. F

om thunde

sto

ms, hu

ic

nes, fog,

nd even ice

nd sno

, Tex

s d

ive

s must p

ep

e to encounte

ny numbe

of

et

e

the

conditions on thei

d

ily d

ives

nd commutes. The<

h

ef="https:

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

f

c

sh_st

tistics

2019/24.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“> Tex

s Deptment of Tnspo

t

tion

epo

ts<> th

t the m

jo

ity of t

ffic

ccidents in the Lone St St

te occu

du

ing cle

o

cloudy conditions. Ho

eve

, the

iskiest inclement

e

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

t

lities. In

ddition, snond sleet

ccounted fo

just shy of 1,000 cshes, including 2 f

t

l

ccidents.

s f

equent

s

et

o

d

ccidents e in Tex

s, these st

tistics still only

eflect p

t of the toll

et

o

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

ed

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

nd

oughly 180,000 inju

ies e

ch ye

c

n be linked to

et p

vement

ccidents. Slick

o

d su

f

ces, dec

e

sed visibility, d

m

ged

o

d

ys,

nd he

vy t

ffic often combine to c

e

te <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

houston-de

dliest-pl

ce-to-d

ive

“>d

nge

ous d

iving conditions<>

nd inc

e

se the likelihood of c

t

st

ophic

ccidents.

et p

vement

ccident inju

ies c

n nge f

om mino

to seve

e, but

ny inju

y c

n h

ve

l

sting imp

ct on

n

ccident victim. The dest

uction of you

vehicle, medic

l expenses

el

ted to you

inju

ies,

nd the imp

ct of those inju

ies on you

d

ily

outine c

n t

ke

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

T

ke ext p

ec

utions

hen d

iving in the in.

void

ll distctions

nd

em

in

le

t du

ing inclement

e

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

z

d up

he

d.

et

o

ds inc

e

se the stopping dist

nce fo

you

vehicle needs

t

ny speed.

void Flooded St

eets

ccumul

ted

te

inc

e

ses the

isk of you

vehicle hyd

opl

ning. It c

n be difficult to

void teccumul

tion on the

o

ds especi

lly du

ing he

vy do

npou

s. T

y you

best to

void flood-p

one e

s. Get to highe

g

ound

s quickly

s possible.

If you find you

self in

situ

tion

he

e you hyd

opl

ne

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

m

king sudden tu

ns c

n c

use you

vehicle to continue to b

el do

n the

o

d

nd inc

e

se you

isk of

ollove

o

collision.

Pull Ove

nd

it it Out

If the

e

the

h

s unexpectedly t

ken

tu

n fo

the

o

se, o

you find you

self in

d

nge

ous situ

tion on

et p

ved

o

ds, then conside

pulling ove

to

it

sho

t time

nd

e

ssess the situ

tion. Oftentimes, sto

ms move th

ough quickly,

nd just

fe

minutes c

n m

ke

big diffe

ence in the conditions you

ill f

ce on the

o

d.

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

e

the

.

eckless d

iving beh

vio

s—such

s distcted d

iving, speeding,

nd imp

ope

vehicle m

inten

nce—c

n

ll heighten the

isk of

se

ious

ccident on

et

o

ds.

If

et

o

d

ccident inju

ed you o

loved one,

n expe

ienced <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>c

ccident lye

> c

n help you get the compens

tion you dese

ve by <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

c

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

ct

c

ccident

tto

ney to discuss you

leg

l

ights

nd you

potenti

l case.

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