Negligence exists just about everywhere—even on Alaska’s dangerous winter roads. Read on to discover what can be considered negligent with respect to treacherous weather auto accidents.
Untreated vehicular issues
Left unaddressed, an issue with your vehicle can be the cause of an accident in dangerous driving conditions. For this reason, it is beneficial to take care of any and all issues your vehicle may encounter throughout the year.
Even if an issue with your car didn’t directly cause the accident, it can be used against you in your insurance claim.
Driving too fast
Slippery road conditions make driving at high speeds extremely unsafe. If the car in front of you suddenly stops, if an animal runs into the road, or something falls off the back of the truck in front of you, it’s crucial that you are able to stop before colliding with the object.
If you are driving too fast for the present road conditions and you are involved in a traffic accident, it can be blamed almost entirely on you because you could’ve avoided the incident by traveling at a slower, safer speed.
Following too closely
The idea of negligence in this regard is very similar to driving too fast. If you leave anything less than a football field’s distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you, you are following too closely and can be at fault if a collision occurs.
Even if the vehicle in front of you loses control and causes an accident that you cannot avoid, you may still be partially blamed for damages incurred for not leaving enough space between you and the car ahead of you. This is particularly troubling because it can feel as if you are blamed for someone else’s mistake. Avoid this issue entirely by providing what can seem like too much distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
If you find yourself involved in a car accident within the Anchorage region, contact the insurance insiders at Farnsworth & Vance to help you out of a sticky situation.
Call (907) 290-2576 or complete an online form to speak with a lawyer about your potential case.