Cooler days, reduced daylight hours and bad weather can make driving a little more hazardous during the fall and winter seasons in the Yuma area. While the weather is generally milder during these season of year, a surprise rain or dust storm can wreak havoc out on the roads. Yuma car accident attorneys care about your safety and want to make you aware of some of the driving mistakes motorists make in bad weather to help keep your safe.
Not Paying Attention While Driving in Poor Visibility
With fewer daylight hours, you may be spending more time driving in during dusk or nighttime conditions. According to the National Safety Council, 50 percent of traffic deaths occur at night. The risk of hitting an animal, like a deer also increases during the fall months during their mating season.
Slick Pavement Dangers
Big puddles on the road could cause you to hydroplane, especially if you are driving fast, but roadways become especially slick before puddles even begin to pool. When rain hasn’t fallen in a while, rain can pool on top of dust, grime and oil that has collected on the road. And since rain is sporadic in Yuma, this makes for an extremely slippery surface since there usually isn’t enough to thoroughly wash the roads clear.
Following Too Closely
You should always try to leave at least two to three car lengths between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you during rainy weather or during dusk/dawn. This will allow you extra braking time to react if cars in front of you were to stop unexpectedly.
Driving Too Fast
You should always drive the speed limit, but even more so if the weather takes a turn for the worst. With poor visibility, it can be difficult to see other drivers making it more difficult to stop if you are moving too fast.
Neglecting Your Tires
After a hot summer, your tires may need replacing. Worn down treads make it difficult to stop quickly in ideal driving conditions, let alone bad weather. Make sure to check your tire pressure regularly, especially if you have a rapid temperature change from warm to cold. This causes the air in your tires to expand and contract. A 10-degree drop in temperature can cause your tires to lose one to two pounds of pressure and less safe.
When to Seek Help from Yuma Car Accident Attorneys
Even though you may be taking precautions to make your time spent on the road during bad weather safer, not everyone is doing the same. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and are injured, you will need a Yuma car accident attorneys to protect your rights to compensation for your injuries and losses.
At Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, our Yuma personal injury attorneys are highly skilled, excel at providing exceptional client service and are ready 24/7 to assist you with a personal injury case. While our normal office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, we are available at 928-222-2222 to take your call day or not, 365 days a year.