Now that the winter solstice has come and gone, you can expect to see some especially hazardous driving conditions in the coming months. Maryland weather is notoriously unpredictable, and roads that were relatively safe yesterday could become perilous overnight. Car accidents are easily among the most common causes of catastrophic injury in the United States. So that you can avoid them, here some of the leading causes of winter car crashes.
Winter comes with some unique driving hazards, and not all of them are under your control.
Driving Under the Influence
Drunk driving is a threat at any time of the year, but even more so during winter. Statistics show that a high concentration of car accidents caused by drivers under the influence occurs at this time of year—especially around the holidays.
It goes without saying that you should never drive while under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering drugs. But you can’t control the actions of others, so here are some ways you can defend yourself from others under the influence on the road:
- Stay home or be extra vigilant around the holidays
- When possible, avoid driving at night
- Leave generous distance between yourself and drivers who appear erratic
Speeding
Everyone knows that speed limits are in place to keep us safe. We can’t control the weather, but we can control how we respond to it. When the roads are snowy or we suspect they might be icy, we should adjust the speed we drive at accordingly.
Like with our previous example, speeding is dangerous at any time of year. But we should be cautious not to do so during winter. If the roads are icy or otherwise slippery, speeding makes our vehicles more likely to slide and more difficult to control.
Distracted Driving
This time of year poses a few dangers to driving safety that are beyond our control. But it can be even more difficult to come to grips with winter car crashes that could easily have been avoided. When it comes to distracted driving, this is always the case.
Once again, we are returning to a hazard that can cause accidents at any time of year, but that can have more severe consequences during the winter. There is little evidence to suggest that individuals are more prone to distraction during colder weather. Still, snowy or icy roads afford drivers less time to react if their distraction puts them in a dangerous scenario.
Generally speaking, it is more challenging to avoid distracted drivers than drunk drivers. Distracted drivers are harder to spot, and are just as common in the daylight as they are by night. The best advice we can give is to keep a comfortable following distance and your wits about you.
Have you or a loved one been injured by winter car crashes? If the accident resulted from someone else’s negligence, contact us for a free case evaluation.
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