Winter means dicey driving conditions. Some fatal motor vehicle crashes occurred on roads covered in snow, ice and slush. I have handled many auto accidents cases over the years involving accidents occurring on icy roads.
• 65% of the overall winter crashes involve drivers driving “too fast for conditions”
• A driver can be ticketed for driving too fast in winter conditions even if he or she is driving at or below the speed limit
Here is a summary of a recent case I had where my client was injured while her vehicle was stopped on a snowy road:
My client stopped her vehicle because she was stuck on a hill due to snowy conditions. There was a garbage truck behind her, which was perpendicular to the road. Therefore, she had no choice but to stay in her vehicle on the right-hand side of the road until help came. She called her neighbor to come down with sand to help out. As she was sitting in her vehicle waiting for help, a propane delivery truck came around the curve up the hill from where her vehicle was located. The driver of the truck attempted to gain control, but it became clear to my client that the truck was going to smash into her vehicle. She attempted to escape her vehicle by opening the driver’s side door and diving to the left, into the road. As the truck hit, her car was pushed downhill and she was hit in the leg by the open door of the car. She also injured her head in the crash. Her dog was in the vehicle and was traumatized by the collision. The propane truck driver was responsible for the injuries sustained by my client because the driver had a duty to control the vehicle and was unable to do so.