Dangerous Road Conditions Accident Lawyers

Driving is more dangerous in poor weather conditions, such as:

• Heavy rain or thunderstorms
• High winds
• Wet or slick roads
• Snow or hail
• Icy roads

No one is to blame for nasty weather, of course, but how people respond to it can make a difference. In snowy or icy conditions, for instance, improperly plowed or salted roads can sometimes form the basis for a personal injury claim.

New Jersey’s public roads are generally maintained by the state’s Department of Transportation (NJDOT). However, issues requiring such maintenance aren’t always fixed as quickly as they should be. And sometimes, they are enough to cause accidents.

The following are most likely to cause accidents and injuries:

• Excessive or very deep potholes
• Cracked asphalt
• Uneven lanes
• Faded or missing lines
• Damaged or missing road signs
• Missing or broken traffic lights
• Broken guardrails
• Poor drainage

In some cases, there may be signs alerting drivers to these hazards. A common example is an “uneven lanes” sign put up when crews are in the process of repaving roads.

In many cases, work zones are clearly marked, but unfortunately, there are still cases in which necessary road work can become a hazard all its own. Roadwork sites often involve various kinds of roadblocks, but when they are improperly placed, they might damage passing vehicles or lead to accidents altogether.

Many work zones also see the presence of various NJDOT and other work vehicles. Though these usually stay within a designated work area, there’s a very high probability of an accident if they move outside of it.

Roads need to be repaired often to keep them safe for New Jersey drivers, but certain roads may have serious design flaws, meaning they were never safe to begin with.

Some examples of the most dangerous roadway design flaws are as follows:

• Missing signage. When drivers aren’t given proper warning for upcoming hazards, accidents can — and often do — happen. Say that there’s a road with sharp turns that lacks a sign denoting their presence. People unfamiliar with the route may accidentally drive off of it, especially at night or when visibility is otherwise poor.
• Confusing or unclear signage. Despite their importance, a confusing road sign will defeat its purpose altogether. For instance, if a road sign has a large amount of text drivers will struggle to read it, and they may cause an accident while trying to do so.
• Obstructed signage. In some cases, there’s nothing wrong with a road sign itself outside of it being kept from view. For example, if a road sign is blocked by a tree branch, drivers won’t be able to read it.
• Shoulder drop-offs. When a road’s shoulder is lower than the rest of the road, it can cause serious issues. Especially sharp drops can slash tires, and even cause cars to flip or roll if driven over with enough speed.
• Blind curves. These are extremely dangerous because you can’t see oncoming traffic. Often, there are only a few seconds where you can’t see approaching cars, but those few seconds are sometimes all it takes for a crash to happen.
• Poor grading. Grading a road is what makes the surface flat and free from irregularities. It also establishes a way for water to drain. A road that hasn’t been graded well can be bumpy and slick, making it dangerous to drive on.
• Unsafe speed limits. Sometimes, a chosen speed limit ends up making a road more dangerous. For instance, if a road has lots of twists and turns and the speed limit is similar to that of a highway, there’s a high likelihood that there will be crashes.

These conditions can make roads dangerous for drivers and passengers.

Prescription drugs can cause fatigue and drowsiness behind the wheel, but so can alcohol and some kinds of illicit drugs. Non-prescription opioids and marijuana are especially likely to cause problems.