A blast of winter weather crippled parts of Louisiana this past weekend, leaving roads coated with sleet and freezing rain. These wintry conditions are making travel difficult, causing a number of car accidents, including some fender-benders, as well as serious collisions.
Just north of Shreveport, a pedestrian was injured in a three-vehicle accident caused by the icy roads. In a separate incident, a 30-year-old woman was traveling westbound on I-20 in Webster Parish when she lost control of her vehicle and slid down an embankment, ultimately colliding with a tree. While the injured pedestrian is expected to recover, the 30-year-old woman suffered fatal injuries in her crash.
The problem that arises with driving on roads covered with sleet and freezing rain is that the friction between the road surface and a vehicle’s tires is significantly reduced. Typically, a more experienced motorist will immediately feel the difference and make some necessary adjustments.
However, many drivers underestimate the dangers of driving on icy roads. From inexperience, habit or over-confidence, they may fail to adjust to the road conditions and continue to drive as they normally do. Further, distractions such as texting or talking on a cell phone increase the dangers. Together, these factors can lead to longer braking response time, skidding and an increased chance of being involved in an accident.
Sometimes even the most cautious drivers lose control of their vehicles on icy roads and cause accidents. However, many of these types of collisions are caused by drivers who failed to adjust for dangerous road conditions. Drivers who are traveling too fast for weather conditions or are not paying proper attention to the roadways should be held accountable for any serious or fatal car accidents they cause. Yuma auto accident attorneys are ready and willing to handle these cases.