Fatal Car Accidents This Holiday Weekend Reminder of Dangers of Icy Roads in Georgia
This past Christmas holiday weekend tallied four fatal car accidents in Georgia just between Thursday at 6 p.m. and the succeeding 48-hour period. The fatal crashes occurred in Dalton, Jasper, Albany and in the Savannah-Chatham area. The Georgia State Patrol reported that they had already handled 243 crashes resulting in 108 injuries during that period. Traffic safety officials were warning of the increasing danger from roads turning icy Saturday night. Atlanta's first white Christmas in 128 years is creating a significant risk of car accidents caused by icy roads.
Driving in icy conditions requires a distinct set of driving skills and techniques. For example, it is important to slow down, allow a greater following distance, and begin braking earlier and to accelerate slowly so that you do not spin your tires. At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have seen the carnage that can result from not adjusting one's driving to compensate for icy roads. We have been representing those seriously injured or killed in car accidents involving bad road conditions for over a quarter of a century.
Drivers are responsible for evaluating road conditions and adjusting their driving habits so that they are safe given existing road conditions. A driver who fails to make appropriate adjustments in one's driving may be responsible for a car crash caused by icy roads. A driver who fails to slow down soon enough or fails to allow enough stopping distance and cannot bring one's car to a stop in time to prevent a car crash can be liable for not driving safely for the existing road conditions. However, a driver who stops suddenly or unexpectedly on ice may be struck from behind because the other driver had no warning of his intention to stop. In that case, there may be legal liability assigned to both drivers.
A public entity will typically be responsible for clearing roadways under its jurisdiction. The failure of a public entity to either correct icy conditions or warn of dangerous road conditions that the public entity knew or should have known about can in some circumstances lead to liability for the governmental entity responsible for road maintenance. The key is really what the governmental entity knew or should reasonably have known about the icy roads or other adverse road conditions; when the public entity knew; and what they could reasonably have done to make the roads safe or warn of the hazard. There are complicated issues involved in a determination of whether a government entity can be liable in such situations, and there are also issues of potential government immunity from claims that have to be considered.
A driver who hits a patch of ice in the roadway may feel that he or she has suddenly lost control of the vehicle. It is often possible to maintain control of your vehicle and avoid being involved in a car collision if you know what steps to take. At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have been representing those injured in serious Georgia car accidents throughout Georgia for over a quarter of a century. Our Georgia icy road accident attorneys are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. Call our Georgia car accident attorneys today for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or visit us on the web at www.montlick.com. No matter where you are in Georgia, we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.