How Roadway Design can be the cause of many accidents

We’ve all heard about the dangers of reckless driving, distracted driving, speeding, and so on, but what about the dangers of other factors that are beyond our control? Research has found that dangerous roadway conditions rank among the highest of causes of car accidents. Year after year, studies have shown that roadway defects and design deficiency contribute to as much as a third of all serious car, truck, and motorcycle accidents nationwide. Even in many accidents that are due to driver error, dangerous road conditions make what could be minor accidents much worse.

Every year, thousands of drivers experience car accidents, sometimes fatal ones, due to poorly designed roads, construction errors, and maintenance negligence. And although federal law requires cities and counties to build and maintain safe roadways, it can be difficult to hold every single road and highway to this standard.

Below are some of the most common dangerous road hazards:

Hazardous obstacles

Fallen trees, car parts, debris, and potholes are the cause of many accidents and sometimes can take drivers by surprise, making them abruptly swerve out of their lane and hit another car. Government agencies in charge of roads have a responsibility to remove hazardous obstacles in a timely manner.

 Hazardous surfaces

Roads can become hazardous when the pavement surface does not have sufficient skid resistance, or when poor drainage systems cause hydroplaning or ponding.

Dangerous Intersections

Malfunctioning or confusing traffic signs and sharp or narrow roads can triple the chance of an intersection accident, which is already common on its own.

Insufficient traffic signals and signage

Missing, confusing, defective, or improper traffic signals and warning signs can cause confusion, chaos, and accidents on roadways.

Bad construction

Roadways may weaken, collapse, and become unsafe if they are built poorly or with any errors or with use of poor quality materials.

These are just some of the dangerous road conditions, but there are plenty more that can cause serious accidents. Most of them take people by surprise however and can be difficult to overcome when you have to react quickly. Road hazards are out of our control, but you can use caution and keep an eye out for these just in case. If you sense the road you are on feels poorly kept or damaged for example, drive slowly with caution. Always be aware of your environment.  

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car crash or truck accident and are in need of an accident attorney in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ft. Myers or any other city in Florida –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN), keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN and check out the 411 PAIN event gallery 411painevents.com!