Weather Related Accidents

Some of us will do everything possible to avoid driving in the hours of darkness; however, with winter approaching, that is no longer an option. A lot of us will now be going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark – mixed with the miserable weather these winter drives can create some of the worst traffic jams in the year. When driving in the dark it is essential that you make sure all of your lights are on to provide you with the best visibility possible and to allow other drivers and fellow road users to see you.

As a driver we are obliged to show a duty of care to all other road users – falling to maintain the lighting is failing the duty of care you have for other road users. Due to the weather conditions on the roads and the change of season there may be more hazards than normal. Now autumn is almost over there will be lots of leaves on the ground – when these are mixed with rain water they can become slippery. This is a hazard to road uses because their vehicle may be caused to skid if they break harshly on a pile of wet leaves.

It seems that winter throws a long list of never ending hazards on the roads at us. If we drive safely, we can keep these hazards to a minimum. In the unfortunate event that we do become involved in a road traffic accident, if it wasn’t your fault, we may be able to make an injury compensation claim. Immediately after a road traffic accident you should:

• Check that nobody has been seriously injured; if they have you should contact the emergency services. They will then arrive at the scene and take those injured to the hospital if need be.
• If there is any debris in the road you might need to call the police who will then be able to shut the road off until all debris is cleaned up. Otherwise this could be a hazard for other motorists.
• Take down the contact details of the other party involved – this means taking down their name, address and telephone number along with their insurance details, the make and registration of their vehicle.
• If you have a camera on you, taking any photos of the accident scene may act as evidence when deciding who showed most negligence in the car accident.
• Seek medical attention: road traffic accidents are the main cause of whiplash injuries. A whiplash injury is when the ligaments in the neck area become damaged when they are forced to jolt either backwards, forwards or sideways. Whiplash injuries normally don’t appear immediately after an accident, and they may take between 6-12 hours to make themselves known. Some whiplash injuries can even get worse up to a few days after the accident.

 
If you become injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault you may want to make an injury compensation claim. Prior to doing so you should seek legal advice from an established injury law firm. They will then be able to tell you everything you need to know about making a claim.