The weather can have a considerable effect on the safety of New Mexico’s roads. Poor weather conditions can impact how a motor vehicle performs and a driver’s amount of control over the car. If you get involved in a car accident in New Mexico because of bad weather, you may still be eligible for financial compensation with the help of our accident lawyers in Albuquerque, NM.
Dangerous Types of Weather for Drivers in New Mexico
New Mexico has four distinct seasons. While the majority of the year is sunny, New Mexicans sometimes have to deal with rainstorms, fog, haze, cold winters and snow. New Mexico is also home to multiple types of natural disasters, including wildfires, monsoon rains and flash floods.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, rain or mist is the most dangerous type of weather for motor vehicle drivers. Rain is responsible for an estimated 73 percent of total motor vehicle crashes that occur during “adverse atmospheric conditions.” Freezing precipitation is the second-highest crash risk, at 21 percent.
How Can the Weather Cause a Car Accident?
Driving in bad weather comes with numerous potential hazards that do not normally exist. If a driver is inexperienced or unprepared to handle certain weather conditions, this increases the risk of a related automobile accident.
Depending on the type of weather, drivers in New Mexico may face the following risks:
- Hydroplaning on wet roads
- Longer stopping distances
- Loss of vehicle control
- High winds causing instability
- Skids on icy roads
- Impeded vision from rain or fog
- Flying debris from severe storms
- Roadway washouts from flooding
- Engine problems from extreme heat or cold
While adverse weather conditions certainly make New Mexico’s roadways more dangerous, weather alone does not cause car accidents. It creates hazardous conditions that drivers are responsible for navigating safely and prudently.
Who Is Liable for a Weather-Related Crash?
For the most part, weather is not the sole cause of a car accident. When an insurance company investigates the crash, it will most likely assign at least a percentage of fault to one of the drivers involved. This is because it is a driver’s legal duty to adapt to changing roadway conditions and adjust driving behaviors accordingly to prevent accidents.
If you get hurt in an accident involving dangerous weather in New Mexico, the other driver involved can potentially be held liable. If there is evidence that the driver did not act reasonably to prevent the car accident, such as by reducing speed and increasing following distance in poor visibility conditions, this can serve as proof of negligence.
Negligence is the basis of most car accident claims. Under New Mexico’s fault law, proving negligence is typically necessary before a driver can be held accountable for a crash. A car accident claim involving the weather may require crash reconstruction experts to help prove that the other driver did not react appropriately to bad weather, and that this caused or contributed to the collision.
Do I Need to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
If you get hurt in a weather-related car accident in New Mexico, contact an attorney for assistance proving your claim and seeking fair financial compensation. Car accidents related to the weather can be complex, as the other driver’s car insurance provider may try to blame the conditions rather than the driver’s own actions. Hiring a car accident lawyer to represent you can make a big difference to the outcome and success of your case.