As the Reno/Tahoe area gets some of the first precipitation this year, due to significant drought conditions that have dried out nearly all of California and Nevada, drivers need to drive cautiously as they hit the roads. Not only does rainfall after drought conditions make roads slicker than they can be in usual rainfall situations, the year has been so dry that Northern Nevada drivers haven’t had much recent experience traversing wet and icy roads. When these conditions happen, Reno automobile accidents are liable to occur. If you or a family member has been hurt or killed in a Northern Nevada automobile accident, contact NV-Attorney today to begin discussing your case.
Each year, AAA, a US insurance company and road club, offers tips on driving during wintry weather. When it is snowing, drivers are urged to get enough sleep – fatigue behind the wheel, plus icy roads can often result in crashes. Often, people will run out to their car and start it 5 to 15 minutes before leaving. When doing this, be sure to move your car out of an enclosed space like a garage. While it is important at all times for your car to be in top working condition, under-inflated tires can contribute to loss of control of your vehicle when the roads are wet or icy. In addition to having tires correctly inflated, it is important to also keep your gas tank half full. This will help prevent gas lines from freezing up. The best way to prevent a Reno car accident is to prepare yourself before getting behind the wheel.
The most important thing drivers can do to reduce the chance of accidents on wet and icy roads is to slow down. When there is snow or ice on the ground, it takes longer to stop than usual. To counter this, when it is cold, wet, icy and snowy, slower speeds enables drivers to adjust for emergencies or other unanticipated road hazards such as lost dogs, joggers, pedestrians or even people running red lights or stop lights. Recovering from cold weather automobile accidents can require simple repairs, hospital visits or even Northern Nevada wrongful death litigation.
Benson and Bingham is a Southern Nevada law firm practiced at personal injury cases across the state of Nevada. Our team of experienced attorneys have significant experience fighting for our clients when they have been injured through no fault of their own. Always remember, insurance companies have their own attorneys to assist them in creating insurance policies or in personal injury cases – be sure to have experience legal counsel on your side as well.