Anyone who has lived in Seattle for more than a few years knows that the middle of September brings increasingly wet weather, and with the wet weather comes an increase in traffic accidents. Traffic officials in the Puget Sound area are sounding alarms about the deterioration of the weather and asking motorists to take extra safety precautions.
A mess on I-5
As an example of what lies ahead, police are pointing to a series of collisions on Interstate Highway 5, all of which occurred on a single Saturday morning. In one of the collisions, a vehicle rear-ended a Washington State Department of Transportation Safety truck that was on its way to respond to another accident report. Another accident occurred on I-5 near 164th Street SW, and it blocked the center lanes for several hours.
More rain coming
The National Weather Service estimates that the Seattle-Tacoma area will see another 1.5 to two inches of rain. One police officer told a radio show host that five to 10 miles an hour difference can make a “huge difference” when trying to brake to a full stop.
Many people think that the rain erases the duty of drivers to use due care. If a collision occurs, a driver is tempted to say, “It wasn’t my fault. It was raining.” This kind of reasoning is faulty, to say the least. Washington speed limits are based first on posted limits and next on existing road conditions. Thus, adverse weather conditions impose on all drivers a greater burden of care than they bear when the weather is sunny and dry.
Failure to use due care in adverse weather
Perhaps the most common example of the failure to use due care is a driver’s failure to properly estimate the minimum stopping distance between himself and the car ahead. If weather conditions make the road slippery, the stopping distance necessarily increases, and all drivers must make allowance for the increased stopping distance.
Making a claim for damages in foul weather
Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one in an accident that occurred in rainy or snowy weather may wish to bring a claim for damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. An experienced personal injury lawyer can provide a helpful evaluation of the evidence and the applicable standard of due care.
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