Driving a car in Texas can be dangerous. There are a variety of factors that can work together to cause a car accident. Therefore, drivers throughout the state need to be vigilant when behind the wheel. People need to follow traffic rules and keep their attention on the roadways.
However, there are outside factors that can affect a driver’s safety on the road, as well. Weather, for example, can cause serious issues people traveling from place to place. Inclement weather can make roadways extremely dangerous. Depending on the weather conditions, drivers in Texas can face variety of serious risks.
Precipitation can — according to the U.S. Department of Transportation — cause visibility and distance issues. Data shows that rain can be blamed on 47 percent of weather related deaths on U.S. roadways between 2004 and 2013. In that time period, 2,732 people were killed, as a result of rain related weather crashes.
Rain is not the only form of inclement weather that can cause serious hazards. Wind can also be in issue. Wind speeds can affect vehicle stability and increase accident risks.
Icy pavement and fog are also inclement weather conditions that have been attributed to serious car accidents. These weather conditions were each responsible for around 10 percent of weather related deaths between 2004 and 2013.
When drivers in Texas encounter bad weather, they need to know how to react. Drivers in these situations need to pay attention to the roadways and slow down accordingly. Drivers that fail to recognize the danger of inclement weather may be negligent.
When a negligent driver causes a car accident, that driver can be held responsible for damages. In a personal injury lawsuit, car accident victims can receive compensation for their losses. An attorney can help to explain how a personal injury lawsuit can help car accident victims.
