Speeding is a reckless action that has major consequences not only on the offender, but other drivers on the road. While car accident lawyers will tell you that speeding is dangerous during all seasons, it’s especially dangerous during the winter. Harsh, snowy and icy conditions make driving more challenging, and when drivers speed, it can be harder to react to their surroundings.
In this blog, we’re going to cover some of the dangers that come with speeding during the winter weather and how you can avoid them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning happens mostly during heavy rainfall, but it can also happen when black ice freezes over the road. When a car is driving too fast in harsh weather conditions, they may begin hydroplaning, which results in a driver’s loss of control over steering and braking. Hydroplaning can lead to devastating collisions, so car accident lawyers suggest that you reduce your speed by 1/3 on wet roads and by ½ or more on snowy and icy roads.
Locking Brakes
While driving, you might have to brake suddenly due to unexpected obstacles or other drivers making sudden stops. This can be more challenging to do in winter conditions and speeding only makes it that much more challenging. If you try to brake too suddenly while driving in snowy conditions, your brakes are more prone to locking, taking away all ability to stop in time.
Car accident lawyers see an increased number of rear-end accidents in the winter due to this, so it’s best to leave a wider gap between you and the cars in front of you, and of course slow down.
There are many dangers and challenges that a driver will face this holiday season. When driving during the winter, you should be even more cautious than you would be during the summer. If you or someone you know has been injured in an auto accident, contact the car accident lawyers here at Robert J. DeBry and Associates. We can help you get the compensation that you deserve after an accident.