Rainy Roads And Serious Crashes: Can Weather Affect Liability In Florida Auto Accident Cases?
Florida gets a lot of rain over the summer, which can decrease visibility and make the roads slippery. After numerous accidents caused by wet road conditions, the question becomes whether the bad weather conditions relieve at-fault motorists of responsibility for causing the accident. The answer is usually no. While it’s true that bad weather can create hazardous road conditions, drivers are still expected to drive carefully.
Drivers must adjust to road conditions
Under Florida law, a driver is expected to exercise reasonable care based on the circumstances. This means that drivers must adjust their driving behavior depending on weather conditions. While driving in the rain, drivers must:
- Drive at a reduced speed
- Maintain a greater distance from other cars
- Turn on their headlights in case of low visibility
- Not brake or turn sharply
- Ensure that the tires and windshield wipers are in good shape
Driving at highway speeds in torrential rain or driving too close to another car in such conditions could be considered negligence if the behavior causes a crash.
Rain does not automatically eliminate liability
Insurance companies can claim that the collision occurred simply because the weather was bad. Nonetheless, bad weather is not the only reason car collisions occur. It is necessary to analyze how reasonable the driver’s behavior was, taking into account the weather conditions.
If a driver hydroplanes because they were moving at an excessive speed despite the road conditions, then one can argue that the accident had nothing to do with the road conditions and everything to do with the driver’s lack of care.
Other factors that can contribute to a wet weather crash
In many instances, it might be true that more than one person contributed liability to the accident. Apart from the driver’s negligence, some other factors could be taken into account by the investigators. These include:
- Negligence of the commercial trucking company in maintaining its trucks
- The defective tires and brakes that caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle
- Negligence of a government body in not taking action against hazards such as drainage and road designs
- Unsafe driving behavior of another driver resulting in danger to one’s vehicle
It is important to identify all such parties to claim complete damages.
Building a strong personal injury claim
Evidence plays an important role in establishing fault for an accident that occurred in rainy conditions. Evidence could include:
- Police reports regarding the accident
- Photographs of the road and weather
- Footage recorded by the traffic or surveillance cameras
- Statement by witnesses
- Damages to the vehicle
- Weather reports indicate rainfall at the time of the accident
Collecting evidence in this regard is important, as it helps avoid the loss of crucial details.
Talk to a Jacksonville, FL, Traffic Accident Attorney Today
Gillette Law represents the interests of Jacksonville residents who have sustained injury due to a traffic accident. Call our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.
