Hartford Injury Lawyer Gives Tips for Driving on Black Ice so as to Avoid Accidents
Unfortunately, a number of Hartford CT accident cases will result from roadways that are covered in black ice. Black ice is a glaze that forms on the surfaces of highways, roadways, bridges, streets and sidewalks which is caused by light rain freezing or because of the melting and refreezing of snow or ice on these surfaces. It is referred to as black ice because it is transparent and looks like the black surface of the roadway which it covers. Black ice is especially dangerous because it is hard to detect until such time as you are right on top of it which might be too late. Our Hartford injury lawyers and accident attorneys are contacted by injury victims who have been involved in an accidents, caused by the fault of another, as a result of black ice.
It is important that you understand how you can avoid being involved in an accident where black ice is present. You should know that black ice usually forms in situations where the temperature is right around 32°. If the temperature is below freezing then the heat of the tires could cause the ice to melt and then refreeze which would cause this dangerous condition. Black ice forms most commonly in either the early morning or at night when the sun is not available to heat up the roadways. Black ice also tends to form in places where sunlight does not hit the road surface which could include places where there are overhangs or other objects are present which block the sun from hitting the roadway.
If you are driving in near freezing conditions you might notice that the roadway appears to be very smooth or very glossy which is an indication of the potential of black ice. If possible, it is a good idea to practice driving on slippery surfaces in a safe environment, such as a large parking lot with no cars around. This is especially true of young drivers who might not have any experience in driving on slippery roadway surfaces. You should practice breaking so you get a feel for how the vehicle handles in these conditions. If you find yourself suddenly driving on black ice, do not hit the brakes and try to keep the steering will straight. If you feel your car sliding then you should gently turn your steering wheel in the same direction and lift your feet foot off the accelerator. Again, it is important that you practice these driving techniques in a controlled situation such as an empty parking lot that is covered in ice so that you get a better feel for how your vehicle handles.
If you have been involved in a serious accident that has been caused by the fault of another involving icy roadway conditions then you should immediately contact an experienced Hartford injury lawyer and accident attorney to have your rights explained to you so you can understand what you should be doing and what you should not be doing. You can visit our website at www.HCWLAW.com and download a free copy of our book on Conn accident and injury law which will provide you with a lot of valuable free information. You can also call our toll-free number at 888-842-8466 and either speak with one of our Hartford injury lawyers or schedule appointment to visit with one of our CT accident attorneys so you can get a better understanding as to what you need to be doing.
Hopefully, people will be more cautious when driving on slippery roadways which will help to reduce the number of accidents which occur in Connecticut. It is important that our newer drivers get plenty of practice on driving on dangerous roadways, in controlled environments, so that they will be better equipped to handle these dangerous situations should they happen upon them. We should all be much more careful when driving in conditions involving snow and ice, reduce our speed, leave extra time, leave extra distance between our vehicles, reduce the number of distractions that we experience, make sure our vehicles are in proper working order and be ever mindful of our surroundings.