Poor weather conditions like snow, sleet and heavy rain have been a common contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents since the inception of the car. Though there are many things we have done to try and prevent these accidents, things like creating windshield wipers to help us see in the rain or snow tires to drive on icy roads, unfortunately bad weather is unpredictable and accidents are likely to continue to happen.

Some of the most dangerous accidents, that result from bad weather, are ones that take place in areas of the country that are not use to experiencing that particular type of weather. A perfect example is a city that does not typically receive heavy rain. In this situation, less experienced and or careless drivers continue to drive at the high speeds they would typically drive at on a sunny day. What they don’t understand is that the rain cuts their vehicles stopping time by 20% or more, which means that if they have to suddenly stop, there’s a strong chance that they will not be able to slow down fast enough to avoid hitting the vehicle or object in front of them. This is compounded when you take in to account that cities that receive less regular rainfall build up oil, over time, on their roadways making them extremely slick when rain does come.

Snow or icy roadways can also be a big contributor to serious accidents. One of the worst things about accidents that take place on an icy road is that many of the vehicles will continue to slide after the initial impact, generally causing more damage than if the road had not been icy.

Accidents like the ones mentioned above can be quite difficult on those who are injured; many times, because of the bad weather, emergency response vehicle are limited and generally take a longer time to arrive at the scene. Delays of just a few minutes can be just long enough to turn an injured victim in to a fatality.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident while driving in poor weather conditions, remember that the weather may not have been the only factor, driver negligence is still the number one cause of accidents. It is well advised that you meet with an accident attorney to discuss your case; you may have a right to compensation for your damages or injuries.