You may not think of the cusp of the winter/spring season as bringing hazardous road conditions, but one thing you should keep in mind while you’re driving is potholes. Each winter, as moisture falls into fissures in the concrete and asphalt, then freezes and expands, it creates cracks, holes and gaps in the road. And, what might start off as a small hole in the road can quickly increase in size with the repeated occurrence of extensive rain and ice storms.
So while the snow may be gone and the smell of spring is in the air, do not let your guard down when it comes to being a defensive, non-distracted driver. Potholes can be extremely hazardous. Potholes are oftentimes difficult to see, especially in the dark, or in the rain, and hitting them with your car can not only cause damage to the car, but can also put you at a high risk of being involved in auto accidents. The sudden impact associated with hitting an unsuspected pothole can cause a driver to lose control of his/her vehicle. Oftentimes, doing so results in a car accident where serious injuries can occur. While seeing the pothole may help a driver avoid it, sometimes there isn’t much time and a person’s natural and immediate response is to swerve to avoid the pothole. While a driver may be successful in avoiding the pothole, he/she may do so at their own risk if in fact swerving causes the driver to travel into another lane in the same or opposite direction.
The best things to do when you encounter a pothole is attempt to safely straddle it, so your tires do not go into it, or avoid it by cautiously go ing around the pothole where there is ample space to safely do so. Like with other road hazards that cause auto accidents, one of the worst things you can do is erratically swerve to avoid it. Swerving, jerking the steering wheel, or slamming on the brakes, especially in wet conditions can cause more harm than hitting the pothole and doing so may put cause you to suffer serious personal injury.
Car accidents can often be avoided by following some of the safety tips above, but if you are injured in a car accident, we can help. Serious Injury can result from automobile accidents and if you find yourself a victim, you could be entitled to compensation, not just for your medical expenses, but for the pain and suffering associated with the accident. If you’re in an auto accident, contact our experienced Delaware County car accident attorneys and schedule your free auto accident consultation.
