Hazardous conditions including potholes, damaged pavement, and weather events can cause automobile accidents in Nevada. Dangerous road conditions are a leading cause of crashes throughout the country and an accident attorney in Las Vegas can help pursue personal injury cases against those who are liable for causing accidents.
Damaged & Poorly Designed Roads
Roads can be manually damaged by road construction equipment and traffic, or undermined by weather and soil conditions that can cause potholes, washboard, and other hazards. Poor design can cause inadequate drainage or narrow shoulders which can also cause an accident. Other examples of poor design include failure to install proper lighting, failure to install warning signs, or failure to install guardrails. When a road is damaged or poorly maintained, it increases the risk to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. In many cases, damaged roads are the result of small problems that gradually worsen over time as exposure to the elements and traffic flow cause the road surface to deteriorate.
When a road is damaged or poorly designed, it is the responsibility of the property owner, city, or municipality to repair the damage. When a government entity is responsible for designing and maintaining a roadway, plaintiffs who are involved in an accident as a result of poor design or insufficient maintenance can file claims against the entity for negligence. Because the statutes of limitations are short for these types of claims, it is important to pursue these and other personal injury claims as soon as possible.
Weather Related Events
Rain, wind, snow, sleet, and hail can wreak havoc on road conditions. These weather events can diminish visibility and make the road surface unsafe to drive over. Weather conditions have a significant impact on traffic speed, traffic flow, and roadway capacity. All of these increase the possibility of having an automobile accident in Nevada.
Adverse weather can delay reaction time or cause drivers to misjudge required stopping distances. However, while the weather is a contributing cause of an automobile accident, liability usually falls upon the driver as it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain control over their vehicle at all times. That is because it is the driver’s responsibility to drive at a speed and in a manner that is safe for conditions. This includes driving at reduced speed, turning headlights on, shifting into the appropriate gear, or pulling over until road conditions improve.
