Tragic Crash Kills One on Mike Padgett Highway in Augusta, Georgia (GA)

AUGUSTA, (GA)- Wrdw.com writes that a crash tragically killed one person this week in Richmond County, Georgia. The incident involved two vehicles that appear to have collided head-on in the early morning on Mike Padgett Highway.*

The victim was identified as a 35-year-old woman from Martinez. The victim was heading south on the highway when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction drifted into her lane. The two cars collided, and the victim was killed in the impact. Responders declared the woman dead at the scene. The roadway was closed for more than an hour while crews worked to clear the site. At the time of the wreck, the region was experiencing heavy rainfall. Reports did not specify whether the incident is believed to have been the result of rain.

When it comes to deadly weather, car crashes caused by weather conditions kill more people every year than any severe storm kills on its own. The weather condition responsible for most car crash deaths is rainfall. Drivers who have driven on icy and snowy roadways may be surprised to learn that rain causes more crashes than either of these conditions. 

The reason rain causes more crashes is largely because nationally, there is more rain than snow and ice. Another possible factor, though, is that while drivers are often extremely cautious on icy pavement or when roads are covered in snow, they are less vigilant when driving during the rain. 

Rain can cause roadways to become particularly slick. When the water hits the pavement, it can lift oil built upon the road, causing slippery pavement. Of course, driver visibility is also impaired by rainfall and may cause some collisions. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.wrdw.com/2020/07/07/at-least-1-person-killed-in-crash-on-mike-padgett-highway/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/05/14/deadly-driving-hazards/27300165/