New Jersey drivers face an increasingly perilous battle against hydroplaning, a silent threat amplified by the state’s ever-changing weather patterns and the distractions of modern life.
New Jersey drivers face an ever-increasing amount of dangers on the road. From increased distraction due to tech use, to extreme weather conditions, drivers must move about New Jersey’s roadways and thoroughfares with attentive caution and defensiveness. Hydroplaning is a common driving danger that can have mild or tragic consequences. If you have been injured in a hydroplaning accident caused by another’s negligence, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Cohen & Riechelson for a free consultation regarding your claim. Call (609) 528-2596 today.
Decoding Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning occurs when a thin layer of water on a wet roadway gets between a car’s tires and the pavement, causing the car to lose both traction and control of vehicular navigation such as steering and braking. Hydroplaning is caused by a number of factors, including unsafe driving speeds in wet conditions and poor vehicle maintenance. When a car goes too fast or tires are worn, tires cannot move aside accumulated water fast enough to maintain traction, causing hydroplaning. The dangers of losing tire traction and control of the vehicle are clear: hydroplaning can cause single vehicle or multiple-vehicle accidents and serious injury.
Best Practices for Tire Maintenance and Defensive Driving to Prevent Hydroplaning Accidents
There are multiple methods for preventing hydroplaning. These include proper tire and vehicle maintenance, defensive and safe driving especially in adverse weather conditions, and counter-hydroplaning driving techniques to be employed in the case of hydroplaning.
Handling Hydroplaning Safely and Effectively
If you find that you are hydroplaning, remain calm. Ease off the accelerator without braking suddenly. Trying to slam on the brakes can cause more danger. With your foot off or slowly coming off the accelerator, steer gently in the direction you want to go. Wait for the tires to regain traction. Pull over to a safe location once you have control of the vehicle.
What Hydroplaning Accidents Can Do to Your Body
Some of the most common injuries caused by hydroplaning accidents are whiplash and other neck and head injuries, lacerations, contusions and bruises, broken bones and fractures, internal organ injuries, spinal injuries, herniated disks, other trauma to the back, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, and in the most dire cases, fatalities.
Assigning Fault for a Hydroplaning Accident in New Jersey
If you have been injured in a hydroplaning car accident, whether your vehicle crashed or another ran into you while hydroplaning, you must prove liability in order to recover financial damages, or that negligence directly caused the accident. If you were injured in an accident in which your vehicle hydroplaned, you may be able to seek damages if your vehicle was recently — and improperly — serviced, or if your tires suffered a malfunction due to a manufacturing failure. If another vehicle ran into you while hydroplaning, and you can prove that their negligence caused the accident, such as unsafe speeds or distracted driving, you may be able to recover damages from the at-fault driver.
How Negligent Driving can Contribute to a Hydroplaning Crash
Unfortunately, hydroplaning can occur as the result of even minimal negligence and distraction, especially as New Jersey’s weather conditions have become more extreme in recent years. As such, it is essential to drive defensively and to proactively prevent a hydroplaning accident. Examples of driver negligence leading to hydroplaning include driving above the speed limit, driving too fast or too close to other vehicles when rounding curves, talking or texting on a cell phone while driving, or driving a vehicle that is in a state of dangerous disrepair.
Financial Recovery for Victims Injured in Hydroplaning Accidents in NJ
Victims of hydroplaning accidents may be able to obtain compensation from those responsible, depending on the unique factors of the case. When a negligent driver of another vehicle, a vehicle manufacturer, shoddy repairs by a negligent auto body shop, or another party caused your hydroplaning accident, you may successfully recover damages for the immediate and ongoing medical expenses associated with the injury, loss of employment or loss of income while you are unable to work, the costs of physical therapy and other rehabilitation from the injuries, physical pain, and mental suffering resulting from the crash and the injuries you sustained.
Hydroplaning Accident Victims Need Experienced Legal Representation. Cohen & Riechelson is Here to Fight for You
If you have been injured in a hydroplaning accident that you believe was caused by another’s negligence in New Jersey, you may have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. It is important to develop a strong case that includes substantial evidence from the scene of the accident, witness testimony, official records such as police reports, and even expert testimony. The attorneys at Cohen & Riechelson are committed to serving individuals who experience injuries in hydroplaning accidents caused by others in Hamilton, Lawrence, Princeton, Hightstown, Ewing, Robbinsville, Trenton, East Windsor, and other areas of New Jersey. Contact us today at (609) 528-2596 for a free consultation to discuss your claim and learn how we can assist you.
