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Fall-related driving hazards

| Nov 2, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Autumn is a season of change in Indiana. The weather is cooling down, the leaves are turning colors, and kids are heading back to school. Unfortunately, these changes can make driving more hazardous and increase the risk of traffic accidents.

Fall driving hazards

There are three main driving hazards during the fall: children, weather and darkness. With the start of a new school year, dozens of neighborhood kids are walking to school and crossing streets each day, which increases the chances of a child darting in front of a car. In addition, many newly licensed teen drivers are traveling to class, which may boost the risk of collisions. Meanwhile, rainy weather and falling leaves can make roadways slippery and dangerous, and the end of daylight saving time means more people must commute in the dark. Both situations increase the risk of accidents.

As if the above hazards weren’t enough, drivers are the most likely to hit an animal during the fall. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that drivers are three-and-a-half times more likely to hit a deer in November as they are during any other month of the year. PETA reports that 1 out of every 100 drivers will hit a deer at some point in their lifetimes. In 2016, there were 14,021 deer collisions in Indiana. Of those, nearly 45 percent occurred between October and December. To avoid fall-related crashes, traffic safety experts recommend that drivers slow down, avoid distractions and keep their eyes on the road at all times.

Legal help for car crash victims

Individuals who are injured in car accidents may find relief by contacting an attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the details of the case, a lawyer may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit on the victim’s behalf and negotiate a monetary settlement for damages.

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