Discuss Your Case with a Longview Car Accident Attorney
Were you involved in a single vehicle accident? The assumption with single vehicle accidents can sometimes wrongfully be that the driver was responsible, since no other vehicles were involved in the accident. However, there are many alternatives to the cause of the accident than the driver’s negligence. Whether you were responsible for the single vehicle accident and you are attempting to file a claim with your auto insurance company or you believe your accident was caused by another party, a Longview auto accident lawyer from Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher, Perry, Runge, Robertson and Smith Law Firm can look into your case and discuss your legal options.
Possible Causes of Single Vehicle Collision
By far the most common cause of car accidents on our roads and highways today is negligent drivers. However, there are many other auto accidents that involve only one vehicle. Listed below are some of the most common causes for single vehicle auto accidents:
Swerving to Avoid Road Debris
It is not uncommon for debris to either blow onto the road or to fall out of vehicles. When this happens, the party responsible for maintaining said road should take all necessary measures to remediate the debris as soon as possible. If this doesn’t happen, then serious accidents can result. When a driver comes upon debris in the road, they may swerve, spin out or even roll over in attempt to avoid it.
Inadequate Traffic Delineators and Road Signs
Traffic delineators (ex: cones or reflectors) and road signs (ex: stop, yield or speed limit signs) are necessary for safe operation of a motor vehicle. If these are not in place where it is necessary, a driver will not receive the warnings necessary to drive safely and avoid accident.
Mechanical Defects
One possible cause of a single vehicle accident is auto product liability. In other words, a mechanical or manufacturing defect in the vehicle itself could have caused or contributed to the accident. One more recent type of auto product liability is unintended acceleration.
Improperly Maintained Roads
This is a “catch all” to describe any type of action or inaction resulting in road defects. Whoever is responsible for maintaining a road (most commonly the city) must ensure that the roads are safe to travel on. If the roads are unsafe, they are charged with fixing the problem to the best of their ability.
Adverse Weather Conditions
Snow, rain, heavy fog and other adverse weather conditions are a common cause of single vehicle and multi-vehicle crashes. Drivers must exercise extreme caution when driving in bad weather and the party responsible for maintaining the road should take necessary action to warn drivers and make the road safer. This could include posting “Icy” signs or laying salt on snowy roads, for example.
On-Road vs. Run-Off-Road Collisions
Statistically, 30 percent of fatal car accidents in the nation are considered run-off-road crashes. These accidents most commonly involve a single vehicle and, as its name suggests, results in the vehicle running off the road rather than remaining on the road. Many cities throughout Texas have taken measures to decrease the total number of run-off-road collisions by widening shoulders, implementing higher friction surfaces and improving the curb banking.
Contacting a Personal Injury Attorney in Longview
Our team at the Sloan Firm is committed to representing the rights of victims of car accidents such as single vehicle collisions. Call us today for help!