When Nature and Negligence Combine to Cause a Car Accident

 Posted on December 14, 2017 in Blog Post

It is that time of year, when slippery roads, poor visibility, ill-maintained automobiles, and human error combine to produce injury-causing car accidents. In the Chicago area, when it is time to buckle down for winter, you just want to get to and from work and through the holidays without incident. When this most understandable of aspirations is thwarted by a combination of inclement weather and unsafe driving on the part of another motorist, you have a legal right to obtain compensation for your injuries and other losses. In asserting your legal rights, count on an experienced Park Ridge personal injury attorney.

Common Causes of Wintertime Auto Accidents

Road conditions in Des Plaines, Glenview, Park Ridge, and the greater Chicago area can be dire in the month of December. When the temperature outside is near freezing, roads may become slippery. This is especially the case with regard to “black ice,” which is at once extremely slippery and almost impossible to see. Poor visibility, the cruel cousin of slippery roads, only makes matters worse. Specifically, heavy snowfall, freezing rain, and even hail make it difficult to fully observe the complete picture of traffic. It is in these conditions, when slippery roads and poor visibility combine, that human error is of the greatest consequence.

The Duty of Safe Driving Applies No Matter the Season

A driver shares the road with every other driver. This goes without saying. As such, the only way for vast traffic networks like that of the Chicagoland area to flow and function is for each and every driver to abide by the rules and regulations of the road. Driving the speed limit, refraining from driving after consuming alcohol or certain prescription medications is a must. So is keeping one’s vehicle in a condition capable of safely navigating Illinois roads and highways in wintertime weather. Bald tires, worn-out windshield wipers, and aged defroster fans must be replaced. Headlights must be working at their bright-shining best.

Negligent Driving Is a Cause for Damages When Injuries Have Been Sustained

Negligence, the breach of a duty owed that causes damages, is a common cause of auto accidents. If you have been injured in an accident caused by a driver who has failed to drive safely, at or a below the speed limit, and in a vehicle fit for travel, you have a legal right to seek compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. To assert your legal rights, depend on an experienced Park Ridge personal injury attorney.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K13-202