Oh, the Weather Outside Is Frightful

Here in the South, we have been inundated with rain – lots of rain. And while we don’t get snow like our Northern and Western neighbors, the weather patterns are becoming frightful with all of the heavy rain we do get. What goes hand-in-hand with bad weather? Car crashes.

On average, there are over 5.75 million car crashes every year. Weather-related car crashes account for approximately 22% of all vehicle accidents, including rain, snow, sleet, and fog.

Of those, 73% occur on wet pavement and 46% during rainfall.¹ Unfortunately, 6,000 people are killed and over 445,000 people are injured in weather-related crashes each year. (Ten-year averages from 2004 to 2013 analyzed by Booz Allen Hamilton, based on NHTSA data.)

Every Car Crash is NOT an “Accident”

The word “accident” is quite often inaccurately used when referring to a car crash or automobile collision. This is probably because no one wants to be at fault or take the blame, because “it was an accident” or simply, “I didn’t mean to.” However, that’s just not the case. Someone is usually to blame for causing a collision, especially with weather-related car crashes.

5 Easy To Follow Tips To Prevent Car Crashes

Slow down!: You cannot be in that much of a hurry to get to where you’re going and put you, your passengers and other drivers and their passengers at danger.

1. Don’t tailgate – ever: You may not stop in time to avoid hitting the car in front of you.
2. Stay off of your cell phone: Distracted driving during good weather is bad, but during bad weather is a definite no-no.
3. Avoid sudden turns or breaking: While you may be following the above advice, the car behind you may not.
4. Turn on your headlights: Other drivers may not see you if your headlights are not activated.

These are just a few suggestions for safer driving during inclement weather. But no matter the conditions—drive safe.

I Was in a Car Crash, Now What?

Not every collision involving automobiles is a reason to contact an attorney. A simple fender bender is one example.

• If you were seriously injured in a collision, you may want to contact an attorney.
• If the insurance company wants you to settle quickly or indicates that you don’t need to contact an attorney, you may want to contact an attorney.

While not every case merits the attention of an attorney, we would be happy to speak with you about your automobile collision case. We offer a free case evaluation, so please call us at (704) 859-2003.