Monday, December 29, 2008

External Factors in a Car Accident

Typically, car accidents are caused by several factors. In most cases, they are caused by negligence arising from the driver’s inattention or recklessness. In some instances, however, an accident may also be caused by factors beyond the driver’s control such as vehicle malfunction or due to road and weather conditions.

Several newspaper accounts show how a winter storm has affected traffic in some major freeways from Malibu to Palmdale.

According to many news reports, as these Southern California areas were buried in snow, many freeways were closed to traffic because of poor visibility and the potential hazard of slippery roads.

One news report also mentioned about a car accident that occurred in the Newhall area, where police believed, the victim’s vehicle might have spun out on black ice.

“Better safe than sorry”, may be a good advice to motorists during extreme weather conditions. In this time of year, it is best to prepare for any eventuality than to be caught up in a situation.

Here are few tips to avoid road accidents during extreme weather conditions:

• Check the weather condition before going out of the house

• Have your car checked and make the necessary improvements to adapt to the weather such as fog lights, snow tires, etc.

• Be sure to take extra batteries for your mobile phone so that you can ask help when you get stuck

If you happen to be injured in a car accident caused by another person or by factors beyond your control, you can ask the assistance of a car accident lawyer to help you determine the cause of the accident and pursue damages for your injuries.