What is a Dangerous Roadways Accident?

Other drivers and cars are not the only dangers that you have to watch out for.

Sometimes accidents can be caused by the road itself.

Dangerous roadways accidents refer to accidents that are caused by defects on the road.

In Los Angeles, where there are a lot of freeways filled with cars running at about 60 mph, a small pot hole or a fallen nail on the road can lead to an accident.

Here are some road hazards that may lead to dangerous roadways accidents:

Insufficient / Misplaced Traffic Signs

This refers to traffic signs that are misplaced, not properly visible or even missing. This also includes broken signals and signs.

Warning signs should be present especially for sudden changes on the road like narrowing roads, intersections, pedestrian crosswalks, merging traffic, etc.

The purpose of traffic signs is to warn motorists of impending changes on the road so that the drivers can adjust their speed appropriately for the situation.

Misplaced or non-visible signs defeat the purpose.

Inadequate Lighting

Inadequate lighting leads to poor visibility.

Poor visibility on the road is one of the most common causes of road accidents.

This causes motorists to not fully see incoming traffic or the other vehicles around him/her.

Poor visibility is known to cause multiple vehicle collisions on highways and freeways.

Damaged Roads

Road accidents can be caused by various damages like potholes, bumps, wear and tear, etc.

Dangerous roads can also be a result of bad road designs like wrong width of lanes, angles/curves that causes a driver to make a sharp turn, and unequal pavement.

Black Ice

This refers to transparent strips of ice that forms on the road. Because it is transparent, it usually takes the color of the road which is black, thus its name “black ice.”

Black ice usually forms during cold and rainy weathers. It forms when fog or mist falls on the road and the moisture merges together to form a strip that freezes on the ground.

Because it is camouflaged on the road, most vehicles miss it until it is too late. It is so slippery that a motorist that passes it almost always loses control of the vehicle.

Road Debris

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that there are about 25,000 road accidents and 90 fatalities that can be associated with road debris.

Road debris refers to anything on the road that does not belong there and may be dangerous to motorists.

Some road debris can be sharp objects that can puncture tires like screws, nails and sharp stones.

Some road debris, on the other hand, causes a skidding effect on the vehicle.

Examples of road debris that causes skidding are sand and small pebbles.

Improper / Missing Guardrails

Guardrails are safety railings that protect and prevent vehicles from veering off the road in case of an accident.

Guardrails are most important in elevated locations like mountains or on bridges over bodies of waters where vehicles may fall off its sides.

TAKE ACTION

If you have been injured because of a dangerous roadways accident, you should consult with a personal injury attorney who is experienced in handling this kind of accident.

A dangerous roadways accident attorney can guide you on what legal steps you can take and represent you once you have filed appropriate charges.