When driving on California roads, other motorists aren’t the only thing that could cause an accident. Construction zones and road hazards increase the risk of serious injury accidents. Drivers face challenges in these areas, like altered traffic patterns, narrowed lanes, uneven pavement, and debris. These conditions become even more dangerous when combined with factors like speeding, distracted driving, or adverse weather.
Determining liability in car accidents caused by construction or road hazards is complex. Multiple parties may be held responsible, including construction companies, government entities, or other drivers. To prove liability, a thorough investigation of the accident’s circumstances is necessary. This includes evaluating the construction site’s safety measures, the signs, and the actions of everyone involved.
Car Accidents in Construction Zones
Construction zones are designated areas for repairing, maintaining, or improving roadways, bridges, or other infrastructure. The goal is to finish the work while ensuring construction workers’ safety and keeping traffic flowing with some restrictions and modifications. However, construction zones introduce unique hazards that increase the risk of accidents and injuries.
Sudden changes in road conditions, such as lane closures, shifts, or detours, are one of the primary dangers in construction zones. These changes require drivers to adapt and navigate unfamiliar patterns quickly. Construction equipment, workers, and temporary barriers create visual obstructions and distractions, making it harder for drivers to perceive and react to potential hazards.
Uneven surfaces, loose gravel, or temporary pavement markings, also contribute to a more challenging driving environment. These factors increase the risk of collisions and injuries in construction zones, especially when drivers disregard reduced speed limits or get distracted.
Car Accidents Caused by Road Hazards
Road hazards can cause car accidents in several ways:
- Tire damage – Potholes, debris, or uneven surfaces can damage tires, causing blowouts or loss of vehicle control, which may lead to accidents.
- Steering and suspension damage – Hitting a hazard can damage a vehicle’s steering and suspension, making it harder to control the car.
- Sudden braking or swerving – Drivers may swerve or brake suddenly to avoid road hazards, causing collisions with other vehicles.
- Reduced traction – Road hazards like oil spills, wet leaves, or loose gravel can reduce tire traction, making it more difficult to control the vehicle, especially when braking or turning.
- Obstructed visibility – Some road hazards, such as overgrown vegetation or improperly placed signs, can obstruct a driver’s view of the road, other vehicles, or pedestrians, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
Determining liability can be complex when road hazards cause accidents, as multiple parties, such as government entities responsible for road maintenance or other drivers, may share responsibility for the incident.
Who Is Responsible for Your Injuries?
There are a wide variety of potential hazards on California roads that can lead to accidents. But who’s responsible for your injuries after an accident caused by a hazard or construction zone? If another driver wasn’t involved in the accident, is there anyone to file a claim against?
Depending on how the accident happened, there are a few different parties who could be liable:
- The state or entity responsible for maintaining the road may be liable if poor maintenance or a failure to maintain the road caused the accident.
- The construction company working on the road may be liable if it didn’t correctly install warning signs or left objects obstructing the road.
- A product’s manufacturer could be liable if it came off a vehicle and ended up on the road.
- Another driver could be liable if they caused the crash by avoiding a road hazard or failing to see one.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys in Walnut Creek
Were you injured in a construction zone accident or an accident caused by a road hazard in Walnut Creek, California? If so, contact Casper, Meadows, Schwartz, & Cook for a free consultation with one of our experienced car accident lawyers.