Stay Safe from Winter Weather Accidents in West Virginia
In late January, an auto accident occurred in Charleston, West Virginia, along Route 3 when a car crashed head-on into a truck. According to a news report on the accident, West Virginia state police attributed the cause of the crash to bad winter weather conditions.
Our West Virginia personal injury attorneys urge every driver to be prepared for winter weather, to be alert for winter weather advisories that may be issued and to follow safe winter driving tips.
Staying Safe from Winter Weather Accidents
The tragic crash in this case was attributed to snow and ice on the roads. Ice, and especially black ice, can create a situation where vehicles lose traction and where drivers lose control. Ice can cause a vehicle to skid or to spin out and unfortunately, the natural instinct to slam on the brakes can sometimes make the situation much worse. Bad winter weather can also impede visibility as snow, heavy rain and fog can make it very hard to see.
Unfortunately, all of these winter weather conditions and all of the dangers created by bad weather contribute to causing many auto accidents during the cold months. Every driver needs to learn some basic safe-driving tips during the bad weather months in order to avoid becoming the victim of a crash. For example, drivers should:
- Listen to the news and check for winter storm or winter weather advisory warnings before planning to drive. If there is a driving warning or bad weather warning, do not drive unless you absolutely have no choice but to brave the weather.
- Leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and avoid speeding. In many cases, you may need to actually drive at a speed that is below the normal speed limit in order to avoid a crash.
- Leave ample room to stop by keeping several car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you. Bad weather is no time to tailgate.
- Use your brakes gently to avoid skidding. Leaving plenty of space between the car in front and going slowly will allow you to avoid slamming on the brakes.
- Use low gears on hills or if you are in danger of losing traction on your vehicle.
- Keep your car in good repair and make sure to have the car and tires checked regularly by a qualified mechanic.
- Don’t let your gas tank get too low because you never know when you might be trapped in a snow-related traffic jam. You do not want to run out of gas.
- Don’t ever pass a sanding truck or a snow plow and give these vehicles wide berth.
- Learn the proper techniques for managing a skidding vehicle. The techniques differ depending on whether your front wheels or back wheels skid. Weather.com provides tutorials for both.
Hopefully, by following these winter safe driving tips, you can avoid becoming the victim of a crash during cold, icy and snowy West Virginia winter days.
If you’ve been in an auto accident in West Virginia, contact the personal injury attorneys at Recht Law Office at 1-800-HURTLINE.
