Road traffic accident claims caused by bad roads

Roads in the UK are struggling to cope with the year-on-year increase in traffic figures and its putting our lives in danger!

Official figures state that vehicle numbers grew by 2.6% between 2014 and 2015 and on average 5 people are killed each day on our roads with 59 people seriously injured.

In many of these road traffic accidents the main negligent party was the actual road surface itself. Anyone who uses our roads is aware of the problem and the truth is its only going to get worse.

How our weather affects our roads

Here in the UK we suffer from adverse weather conditions - it can make driving dangerous and causes all sorts of wear and tear to road surfaces. Markings can be wiped away along with the top surface layer that helps tyres grip onto the road.

Worsening winter storms can dump 2 months of rain on an area in just a few hours. Waterlogged soil and strong winds are a lethal combination for strewing our roads with obstacles like uprooted trees, torn down street lights, sign-posts and lamp posts.

Ice is another danger that can lead to road traffic accidents, especially during the winter months... Poor drainage is normally the problem for water to freeze on worn-down tarmac leaving driving conditions treacherous.

The dangers of pot holes

Potholes are another common problem. The RAC announced that they were called out to 25,000 pothole-related incidents in 2015.

Most drivers will automatically try and swerve out of the way of an oncoming pothole (if its noticeable) this can put them in even bigger danger if they over-steer into oncoming traffic or mount a pavement.

Potholes are even more bad news for bikers and cyclists. Hitting a pothole at speed can cause a serious accident if the rider loses control.

Making a road traffic accident claim

If you (as a driver, passenger or pedestrian) have suffered an injury due to poor road conditions then you may be eligible to make a road accident claim against your local authority. Start by calling our claims team on 0800 634 7575 or filling out our call back form below and receive expert legal advice on how to proceed.