Maryland car accidents in snow occur with unfortunate regularity. The issue with snow is it makes it more challenging to maintain control of your car or truck. Of course, this conflicts with the nature of the law. Civil negligence law burdens all drivers to maintain control of their vehicles. This duty, one of the four elements of a negligence claim, requires that a driver behave as a reasonably prudent person would in like circumstances. This is a standard that is dependent on the unique facts of each case.
Many aspects of driving in snow make it dangerous. First, when the snow is ongoing, it can reduce visibility. It is arguably worse than it is when it is raining. While one might expect the white color of snow to light up the road more than rain, this is not the case to a material degree. Further, snowflakes can be far thicker than rain. So, snow can affect visibility even during the daytime.
Meanwhile, regular rain is unlikely to reduce visibility to the same extent. Snow is also more slippery than rain. This is not even considering ice. But snow itself can be far more challenging on tires than rain.
In the wintertime, we recommend getting winter tires on your car and only driving four-wheel drive vehicles when there is snow on the road. This is important because regular tires have tread that can become full of snow as you go on them. Winter tires, on the other hand, are designed to avoid this problem. Thus, you will have more success gripping the road, turning, and accelerating.
Another common issue in the snow is it becomes more challenging to view road markings. This is another problem that distinguishes snow from rain. In the rain, you cannot see road markings, such as the yellow paint separating directions on the road, if it is too dark and raining so hard that you cannot see through your windshield. But in the snow, snow can completely cover these markings. Then, drivers find themselves relying on track marks left by previous drivers. The problem is that only some tire marks are on the same line. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish which marks go in which direction. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to catastrophic head-on collisions. Hopefully, drivers have enough sense to drive only slightly in such conditions. But, no matter how fast you go, a head-on collision is trouble for all parties.
In addition to considering winter tires and driving a car or truck with four-wheel drive, we recommend maintaining a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Regardless of the weather conditions outside, you must keep your car safe and under control. If you hit someone in an accident, you are responsible. The plaintiff cannot sue the weather for not controlling your vehicle.
I would like you to consider the circumstances of your travel. If you are in an isolated section of Maryland, where no one else is around, or emergency services may not be able to find you, consider waiting for conditions to improve before venturing out. Some Maryland drivers get stranded without cell service and are stuck freezing for hours because their cars are stuck. So before driving out into a storm, ask yourself if it is necessary.
We caution drivers to be weary of other drivers. While you must focus on maintaining control of your vehicle, and there is little you can do to control other drivers, driving defensively in the snow is as important as ever. This is not necessarily the legal standard. Instead, your duty as a driver in Maryland is to behave as would a reasonably prudent person who is also driving in the snow. However, for your safety, it is something to keep in mind.
This also relates to making a claim. In Maryland, you may not be negligent in claiming another driver’s negligence. This means you may not be even 1% negligent yourself. What is slack in the snow may differ from what is negligent under normal conditions. Furthermore, anything that happens to you that is reasonably foreseeable from the defendant’s perspective, you may obtain compensation for so long as you can prove it by a preponderance of the evidence.
Our attorneys have practiced personal injury law in Maryland for nearly 70 years. Our attorneys can explain the filing process to you, what your case is worth, assist in settling your case, the odds of winning, what to do after an accident, joint injuries, whether you need a lawyer and much more. Call today for a free consultation if you are in an accident and have a viable claim. Our office number is (202) 331-7227.
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