Storm Continues to Cause Accidents: DOT Urges Drivers to Stay Off Roads
As Monday's winter storm continued to dump snow on Atlanta streets and highways, the number of snow related auto accidents continued to grow. By midnight on Monday the Atlanta police department had already reported 368 accidents/road hazard calls. The roads have become so unsafe and the number of car accidents so high that police have indicated they are not even responding to car accidents that do not involve physical injuries.
The Georgia Department of Transportation has urged drivers to stay off the roads. Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, has been representing those injured in serious Georgia auto accidents for over 39 years. While we have seen the serious injuries that can result from weather related auto accidents, this storm has been particularly harsh. We urge those throughout the greater Atlanta area to honor the DOT request and avoid driving, if possible.
A serious car accident driving hazard that may become a problem event after the snow itself has cleared is black ice. Black ice is particularly dangerous because it is not visible so drivers have no warning of the danger. Black ice is transparent so that the dark pavement shows through. This means that drivers are unaware of its presence in the roadway. Drivers should be particularly cautious at night and the early morning when and where low temperatures make conditions ideal for black ice. Drivers should also be particularly cautious on bridges and overpasses and in tunnels or other roadways that are protected from the sun because black ice is more likely to be present. Black ice can increase the distance necessary to stop a car by up to nine times that of its normal stopping distance. And in some circumstances it is not possible to control your vehicle or stop.
It is important that Atlanta drivers adhere to the Georgia DOT admonishments to stay off the roads, if possible, and to slow down and be very careful if you must drive. We urge drivers to be especially careful when driving in areas and during times of the day where black ice is most likely to be present to avoid black ice car accidents. At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have been representing those injured in Georgia black ice car accidents for over 39 years. Many drivers do not take the appropriate precautions to avoid black ice car collisions. If you are involved in a black ice car crash with a driver who does not take reasonable care in adverse weather conditions, you may be entitled to compensation for serious injuries or wrongful death. This compensation may include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, property damage and other expenses.
Our Georgia black ice 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 us 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 located, we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.