Rain-Related Car Accidents in Chicago
Motorists who fail to adjust their driving habits to account for rain cause many motor vehicle collisions each year.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, 75 percent of weather-related vehicle accidents occur on wet pavement, with 47 percent occurring during active rainfall. Car accidents in the rain kill more than 3,400 people and injure another 357,300 per year.
Vehicle collisions caused by rainy weather and slick pavement can result in significant injuries, take you away from your work and daily life, and have a catastrophic effect on your finances.
If you’ve been hurt in a rain-related collision due to another driver’s actions, contact Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. for a free consultation where you can review your legal options with a Chicago car accident lawyer.
How an Experienced Chicago Car Accident Attorney Can Help
When you’re trying to recover from car accident injuries, having an attorney you trust can make a critical difference. It allows you to focus on healing with the reassurance that someone with knowledge and experience is looking out and fighting for your best interests.
For over 40 years, the attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. have helped car crash injury victims by investigating their accidents, collecting evidence, and securing expert testimony to build strong and compelling claims. We bring this research to negotiations with insurance companies and into the courtroom to pursue the maximum compensation our clients deserve.
Our approach gets results. We’ve recovered over $2.5 billion for our clients, including over 350 multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements — and we’re ready to put our skills to work for you.
Why Is Driving in the Rain Dangerous?
Driving presents inherent dangers — vehicles move at high speeds, and you can never be sure what other drivers are doing (or not doing) behind the wheel. But when it starts raining, existing dangers are magnified, and new dangers present themselves. Motorists must take appropriate precautions to adjust for inclement weather to avoid car crashes.
Some of the biggest hazards associated with driving in the rain include:
- Slippery Surfaces — Rain makes roads slippery and harder to navigate. Maintaining traction can be more difficult when hazardous conditions are present, especially when the vehicle’s tire treads are overly worn. Slippery conditions may cause drivers who fail to take necessary precautions to lose control of their vehicles, and slide into other cars in adjacent lanes or oncoming traffic. In some cases, it can lead to hydroplaning from too much standing water between the tires and the road’s surface.
- Poor Visibility — Rain creates limited-visibility conditions that increase the risk of crashes. Wipers help keep the windshield as clear as possible, but in heavy rain, they can only do so much to control the water splashing onto the vehicle, and the windshield can get blurry. Even if the windshield wipers properly clear the glass, heavy rainfall can still significantly reduce a driver’s visibility. Rain also tends to make both the inside and outside of the windows foggy, which makes visibility worse and is also hard to address effectively.
- Increased Stopping Distance — Related to the problem of slippery roads is the issue of increased stopping distance. Due to reduced traction, it’s more challenging to bring a vehicle to a sudden stop while it’s raining, and attempting to do so can cause the vehicle to skid. For this reason, it’s essential to slow down, leave extra following distance in front of your vehicle, and give yourself a safe distance to brake slowly and avoid accidents.
Driving in the rain tends to make some drivers overly cautious, while others don’t seem to drive any differently from how they do in good weather. The safest course is to split the difference — slow down to about three-quarters of the posted speed limit, pay attention to your surroundings, and give yourself plenty of time and space to react.
Legal Responsibility of Illinois Drivers to Avoid Car Accidents – Even During Rainy Weather
Drivers have a responsibility to drive safely and do everything they can to avoid a crash. This responsibility applies in all weather conditions, including rain. Here’s what the responsibility entails:
- Anytime you’re using your windshield wipers, you must also turn on your headlights.
- Don’t use cruise control or other automated driving assistance features when it’s raining.
- Increase the distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
- Slow down and be cautious when turning, driving into a curve, and braking.
- Try to maintain control if you hydroplane.
Illinois law also requires drivers to adjust their speed for unfavorable conditions, including bad weather. Merely slowing your vehicle to a speed below the maximum posted limit is insufficient
— conditions may be such that a reasonable speed would be quite a bit lower. Pay attention to what the vehicles around you are doing, and adjust to the traffic flow.
Who Is Responsible for a Rain-Related Car Accident?
Collisions during rainy weather can be legally complex, as it can be challenging to determine the precise role the rain played in causing the collision. Nevertheless, a driver who fails to abide by their legal responsibility to drive safely for the given conditions is likely liable in the event of a rain-related collision that causes injury to another party.
If you’ve been injured in a collision of this type, you may seek compensation for your losses, including:
- Medical expenses (current, ongoing, and future)
- Lost income (past and future)
- Physical and mental pain and suffering
- Property damage
The amount of compensation you may be eligible to recover depends on a variety of factors, and every case is unique. Having an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer handle your case is essential for pursuing maximum compensation.
Contact a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Today
Being involved in a car accident in the rain or other adverse weather conditions can lead to catastrophic injuries. If another driver caused the collision, you have the legal right to seek compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and the other effects of the event.
Let the team at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. provide the legal guidance you need after a weather-related car accident. If we believe you have a strong case, we’ll fight for the justice you deserve, including full, fair compensation for your losses — and we don’t get paid unless you do.
Reach out to us today to discuss your situation in a free consultation.
