Mid-summer is upon us and these hot months bring more drivers out on the road. Whether a day trip or a vacation, the increase in drivers brings about more car accidents.
Why is driving during the summer more of a risk? There are various reasons, including more teen drivers, construction, alcohol impairment, excess heat, and overall road congestion. Road congestion can cause drivers frustration and possibly even road rage. If individuals travel on roads they aren’t familiar with, frequent pit stops and overall distractions could be an underlying cause.
The American Automobile Association reports that in the “100 Deadliest Days,” which are the days immediately following Memorial Day, an average of 10 lives are lost from car crashes involving teens. Because school is out, there are more teen drivers on the road that generally wouldn’t be. Teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are more likely to become involved in a car crash than any other age group, resulting from a simple lack of experience.
With excessive heat comes dehydration and driver fatigue, contributing to slower reaction time and impacted judgment or attention span, which can lead to a crash. Therefore, we advise that during months when we experience heat waves, always maintain your vehicle before taking a trip since summer heat can cause tire blowouts and equipment failure. Also, please be aware of drivers possibly impaired by alcohol on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol-impaired drivers increase over the summer months, causing twice the number of fatalities than all other times of the year combined.
Regardless of the facts involved in your case, you can expect to run into some legal challenges along the way before holding accountable the parties and insurance companies responsible for compensating your losses. Depending on the current status of your case and the evidence proffered to date, these challenges could be genuine, or they could be the product of an ill-advised attempt to wrongfully deny you just compensation.
Either way, you need to be prepared to overcome adversity, and it is important not to let challenges interfere with the assertion of your legal rights. At Dreyer Boyajian LLP, our car accident attorneys headquartered in Albany are experienced in helping car accident victims throughout New York overcome issues such as:
With all of this in mind, what are your next steps? Put simply, in order to protect your health, your financial security, and your legal rights, you need to seek professional help promptly. If you haven’t yet visited a doctor, you should do so right away. If you have been treated by a doctor, make sure that you understand your treatment recommendations, and either follow them to the letter or seek a second opinion if you think one is necessary.
Once you have seen a doctor, your next step should be to speak with an attorney. This, too, is something that you should try to do right away. Unnecessary delays can make it more difficult to protect your legal rights, and talking to an experienced car accident lawyer will give you the confidence and peace of mind you need to move forward.
Have you been seriously injured in a car accident in Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, or the surrounding areas of the Capital District? If so, our injury attorneys can help you. To get started with a free, no-obligation consultation, please call 518-463-7784 or inquire online today.