Auto Accident Lawyer and Car Crashes

Car crashes happen more often than we’d like to imagine and an auto accident lawyer usually needs to be called in. Whether a person was the cause or the victim in a collision, legal representation can help unravel the situation. Motor vehicle crashes happen all over the globe causing damage and destruction to people, property and animals. Many factors have an impact on the severity and risk including driver impairment, skill level, road conditions, street design, speed and the type of vehicle which is being driven. Here are some things to think about.

- Impairment: Being impaired while behind the wheel can create extremely unsafe conditions. There are multiple ways that a motorist can become impaired including being drunk, drugged, sleepy or just not paying attention. Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and response time. To operate a vehicle after drinking is a crime and can land a person behind bars. Drugs can be illegal or legal prescription medications. Warning labels on many pill bottles warn of the dangers of operating machinery while under their influence. Being extremely tired while driving is a major source of collisions. Driving itself can lull even a rested person to sleep. On long road trips, it’s wise to occasionally pull over, stretch and walk around, keep the radio on and the windows rolled down in order to stay alert. Not paying attention can be caused by eating, putting makeup on, texting or chatting on one’s cell phone.

- Road conditions: Inclement weather can cause roads to be slippery and hazardous. Rain, snow, hail and ice can turn a drive to the grocery store into a fender bender or worse. Foggy conditions can obscure vision. Motorists should pay attention to road conditions and use caution or postpone trips when necessary.

- Street design: While highway and street engineers try to design roadways with safety in mind, it doesn’t always work out that way. Some blind intersections, roundabouts or complicated freeway merging designs are accidents waiting to happen. Lack of yield, stop or other signage can also contribute to car crashes.

- Speed: Driving at unsafe speeds are major sources of mishaps. Driving too fast or too slow can both cause trouble. Speed limits that are posted are carefully calculated in terms of safety. Individuals should stick to the posted limits.
- Type of vehicle: The sort of auto, motorcycle or truck that’s being driven also plays a part in risk factor. Ill maintained vehicles are more likely to have issues that cause collisions. Sporty red race cars tend to speed more as well as weave in and out of traffic. Motorcycles can be hard to see by other motorists. This factor makes them a target for accidental crunches. It takes a skilled motorcyclist to maneuver along roadways, curves and stay out of the line of fire. Semi-trucks come with their own set of hazards both for the drivers and others on the road.

No one wants to be involved in a car crash but for multiple reasons, they do occur. An auto accident lawyer can help drivers, passengers and others sort out the aftermath of a collision.