Several cars collided on Route 530 in Pemberton killing two and sending two others to the hospital. According to police at the scene, road condition were a factor as a storm dumped four inches across the Delaware Valley causing flight delays, power outages and car crashes.
The accident happened around 12:18 p.m. at the 100 block of West Hampton Street, Thursday February 21. The exact cause of the collision is unknown and police are still investigating the incident.
Snowy Road Auto Crashes
Drivers in New Jersey are not new to driving on snow and ice, but even experienced drivers can find themselves in trouble on slick roads. Today, most cars have traction technology such as ABS brakes or limited slip differential which is good and saves lives. However, once the conditions get bad enough for the technology to overcome, drivers are left to navigate the roads on their own.
Who’s at Fault in a Snowy Road Crash?
When someone gets into a wreck on a snowy or icy road, the accident can be blamed on “road condition”, however, bad road conditions will not determine which driver’s insurance will pay for the damages.
The deciding factor will still be which driver was negligent. The law will look at each driver and ask the question whether that driver used reasonable care when operating their vehicle. Generally speaking, if you run into someone else—even if the roads are terrible—then the law will most likely determine that you were traveling too fast or following too close for the weather and road conditions. This is true even if you had slowed down and were being extra cautious.
During a storm or other conditions that make driving difficult, the driver is supposed to adjust their driving to reflect those conditions. This may seem unfair, but it’s the law.
How to Avoid Snow Collisions
Slow down. The best thing to do is to reduce speed and don’t accelerate quickly or slam on brakes. Stopping times are dramatically reduced when the roads are slick, and thus speed and momentum are the enemy once someone is stopped in front of you or you start to lose control. According to the American Automobile Association there are things a driver can do to reduce the risk of snow accidents.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly.
- Drive slower
- The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds.
- Know your brakes.
- Don’t stop if you can avoid it.
- Don’t power up hills.
- Don’t stop going up a hill.
- Stay home.
Do I need an attorney?
If you are injured driving in the snow, you might need an attorney to help you get compensation. While this is not always necessary, insurance companies will often try to put the blame on you or even the icy roads so that they won’t have to pay as much money.
You need an attorney that understands traffic laws and is has dealt with snow and ice cases. The attorneys at the Pearce Law Firm have the knowledge and the experience to go up against the insurance companies and get you the compensation you deserve. Call the Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (215) 557-8686 or text at 215 880 6164. You can also contact us online by clicking here.
