Winter Weather Causes Crashes

 Posted on December 10, 2014 in Personal Injury

Dangers on the road exist year round, but are most apparent in the winter months. Winter weather, such as snow, ice, slush, freezing rain and sleet, can make road conditions treacherous—sometimes with little to no warning. These conditions can make traveling during the winter months particularly challenging and require more careful driving on the roadways. In fact, the Chicago area, as well as other areas in the state of Illinois, have already experienced significant winter weather this season. A recently published local news article points out several accidents that resulted from the dangerous conditions.

Dangerous Road Conditions

The recent winter weather in the greater Chicago area caused icy road conditions that were likely responsible for multiple car accidents that recently occurred in the area. At least one person was hospitalized during this stretch of accidents. Most of the accidents occurred on a three-mile stretch of roadway on Interstate 474 where a sheet of ice covered the road. In other areas, officials made the decision to temporarily close portions of roadways due to conditions, cars sliding into ditches, and the fact that accidents had already occurred at the locations in question.

Authorities reported that a particular mix of winter weather caused roadway conditions to deteriorate quickly. An even though the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) attempted to act by spreading salt on the roadways, the remedial measure was apparently not enough to keep up with conditions as they worsened. When dealing with ice and snow, other safety measures are usually required.

Drivers who encounter dangerous winter conditions need to recognize the risks and account for them by significantly decreasing their speed. This enables motorists to gain more control over their vehicles, and helps to reduce the risks that may be involved in the event of a crash.

It may also be prudent to make the decision not to travel when inclement weather is expected, especially in cases where travel is not necessary or the dangerous weather is predicted well ahead of time.

Accident Injury Attorney

If you were injured in an accident as the result of another driver's negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact the knowledgeable DuPage County car accident attorneys at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices today to schedule a consultation to discuss the facts of your case and evaluate your matter for a claim. We have successful experience representing clients in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Kendall and Will Counties.