Driving on ice can be very dangerous, and it can result in accidents that involve single or multiple vehicles. You must be aware of how you can recover damages if you are part of a car accident that took place on ice. Check out this explanation regarding coverage for ice-related car accidents.
Liability
You can recover damages if your car accident happened on an icy road. For instance, if you are driving in icy conditions and another vehicle loses control and hits you, you can recover damages via your own insurance company or through the other party’s liability coverage. If you get into an ice-related car accident and can prove that the accident occurred due to a lack of proper maintenance, you can recover damages from the local organization or road clearing company responsible for de-icing that particular roadway.
Reason
Note that reason is an important factor to analyze when dealing with ice-related accidents. A driver is at fault for hitting you because he or she is a reasonable person; a reasonable person who made the choice to drive in less than ideal conditions, drive at a particular speed, drive at a certain distance in relation to your car, or drive knowing that his or her vehicle is not equipped to handle icy weather conditions. As a car accident lawyer like one from Greenspan & Greenspan P.C. can explain, even if the driver who struck you did so because he or she lost control of their vehicle, he or she made specific decisions that led up to the moment wherein the accident occurred, so the driver will still be held accountable.
Prevention
You can prevent ice-related accidents from occurring by taking certain precautions. One such precaution is to drive slowly; maintaining low speeds will help you maneuver through icy roads. If your car has a cruise control function, be sure to turn it off so that you will not be caught off guard if you ever hit a patch of black ice. Also, keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you while driving; doing so prevents collisions if you happen to slide or spin out of control. If you choose to drive on icy roads during the winter, invest in snow tires; such tires have more traction and grip than regular ones, preventing you from losing hold over your vehicle.
Car accidents that occur on icy surfaces can be very disastrous, resulting in injury and damage. Contact a car accident lawyer today to pinpoint sources of recovery for an ice-related car accident.