Understanding Liability and Your Rights in a Car Accident Caused by Weather in New Mexico
Car accidents are bound to happen from time to time due to poor weather conditions. Sometimes, even the most careful of drivers can get into an accident when there are poor weather conditions. However, often times car accidents are able to be avoided if drivers exercise appropriate caution when driving in poor weather. While New Mexico is frequently sunny and warm, there are certain weather conditions that can create hazards for driving which can contribute to car accidents. The weather can affect liability which is why a car accident caused by weather in New Mexico should be handled by an experienced car accident lawyer in Albuquerque, NM like one of ours.
Here at the Caruso Law Offices, P.C., we know that if poor weather contributed to the car accident, a responsible driver who did not properly consider that weather could be liable under the law. This depends on several factors, but most of the time the driver is still liable if it is determined that another driver who was exercising the appropriate amount of caution could have avoided the same accident. Victims injured in car accidents often sustain some degree of injury, with some being severe. This is why if you or your loved one was involved in a car accident due to poor weather conditions, you should contact an experienced car accident lawyer in Albuquerque, NM like one of ours who can help you gain the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
How Do Poor Weather Conditions in New Mexico Impact Driving Conditions?
While New Mexico weather tends to be mild, there are still poor weather conditions which can contribute to car accidents. Poor weather conditions impacting driving conditions include the following:
- Precipitation – Rain can reduce visibility, making it harder to see things ahead, impair friction of pavement making cars more likely to slide, and can impact lane obstruction. Precipitation can also increase travel time, reduce traffic speed, and affect the capacity of the roadway.
- Fog – Fog is another weather condition in New Mexico that frequently impairs driving conditions. Fog can impact roadways by limiting visibility, impact speed and travel times.
- High winds – High winds can impact driving conditions by altering visibility (i.e. blowing dust or debris), and can impact traffic speed and travel time as well as an increase in the risk for an accident.
- Dust storms – High winds and dry weather can contribute to dust storms which can be very dangerous and cause limited visibility.
Is a Driver Responsible for an Accident if Poor Weather Conditions Were Present at the Time of the Accident?
Each driver has the duty to action responsibly and if another reasonable person in the same situation could have avoided the accident, then the driver is still liable. All drivers have the responsibility to alter their speed, distance between cars, and know when it’s time to stay off the roads due to the weather conditions.
Drivers are generally liable for accidents even in poor weather conditions. For example, if a driver was driving the speed limit in a downpour of rain and collides with another car, they are still liable as drivers have a responsibility to adjust their speed and other factors if poor weather conditions are present.
Were You Injured in a Car Accident Caused by Weather in New Mexico? We Can Help
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident with a truck, passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or in another type of car accident caused by weather in New Mexico, call our experienced car accident lawyers in Albuquerque, NM to schedule a FREE consultation to learn more about your rights to compensation and how we can help recover money for lost wages, medical bills, and other damages. To learn more about your rights, call (505) 384-7865 to schedule a FREE consultation with our lawyers.
We handle causes throughout New Mexico, including Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell, Cuervo, Rio Rancho, Clovis, Farmington, Hobbs, Albuquerque where our office is located, and anywhere else throughout New Mexico. We also have a second trucking accident office in California, serving those in Inland Empire County and San Bernardino County, as well as those who have been catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed through California. Please call to schedule for FREE appointment by dialing (505) 384-7865 or contact us through our website’s easy to use and convenient contact box available here.