Car accidents due to bad weather conditions result in far more deaths than large-scale disasters like hurricanes, flooding, and tornados. Travelers face a huge problem of snow/sleet, wet pavements, rain, fog, and blowing dust which results in disastrous accidents. The U.S Department of Transportation states that 1.2 million car accidents occurred each year from 2007-2016 due to bad weather conditions. Among the 1.2 million car accidents, 5376 people have died each year.
The main contributors to the accident were wet roads and rainfall, followed by bad weather conditions in the winters like snowfall and dense fog. However, if you have gotten into an auto accident in bad weather and think it is due to the driver’s negligence, you can contact Cheyenne auto accident lawyer and seek legal assistance.
Reasons for car crashes due to bad weather conditions
Lower visibility casts a huge threat to the drivers
The sudden burst of extremely bad weather situations like a snowstorm, fog, or blinding rainfall lowers the capability of the driver to see clearly. The driver may not be able to see a few feet away from them in these conditions. The snow pileups in the winters caused by snowstorms are notorious, and the wet paths, along with less visibility, throw the driver off-guard. Motorcyclists are more prone to accidents caused by dense fog. The fog causes their visibility to drop to zero.
The danger that ice can cause
Drizzles and freezing temperatures might be a normal scenario, but not for bikers. Even a slightly damp road or snowfall can pose a life-wrecking threat for them.
How do you avoid car crashes during bad weather?
If you are driving in bad weather, you need to be extremely careful to avoid being involved in an accident like the i5 crash, and a small distraction can cause you pain for a lifetime. Some precautions that might help are:
- Please do not take your vehicle out unless it is a serious emergency.
- Drive very slow if it is raining or snowing.
- Turn the headlights on if the visibility is low.
- If the weather gets very bad, choose a safe parking spot, park your vehicle, and turn on the headlights.
Parting Note
Whatever might be the condition, you need to be extremely careful. Despite all the measures, luck may ditch you, but do not worry and if you think bad weather is not the only reason for your accident, then call a car accident lawyer.