Truck Accidents Caused by Bad Weather Conditions

It should come as no surprise that winter weather in Michigan can quickly turn bad, and that bad weather is a common cause of roadway accidents. But when bad weather causes a truck accident, the results can be catastrophic. You need an experienced trucking accident attorney on your side who can identify all the responsible parties and hold them accountable.

At Muth Law, P.C., our Michigan truck accident attorneys handle all manner of trucking accidents. If you were injured or someone you love was killed in a catastrophic trucking accident, the attorneys at Muth Law are here to help, fighting for the compensation that you and your family need, and deserve.

Bad Weather Among Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Snowy, icy road conditions can make driving more difficult, and more dangerous. Snow and ice make it harder to see. High winds push vehicles around. Traction, vehicle stability, and maneuverability all suffer. Whether it’s a light snowfall or a heavy blizzard, snow can cover road signs, traffic lights, lane markers, and windshields. It also makes roads slippery and increases stopping distances.

Drivers must remain vigilant and aware, adjusting to road conditions that can change in an instant. No matter the weather, a good driver will alter their driving patterns to accommodate changing weather.

Unfortunately, despite the dangers posed by bad weather, many truck drivers still drive when the weather turns bad. Some even engage in reckless behavior like speeding, tailgating, weaving, and other dangerous behaviors. As professional drivers, they should know better. But many drivers face pressure to be out on the road, regardless of the weather.

Snowy, Icy Roads Increase Stopping Distance

As road conditions deteriorate due to ice and snow, visibility becomes more difficult and roadways become slick. These conditions slow driver reaction time and increase stopping distance. Together, this creates a hazardous condition, especially when a truck driver is trying to control a fully-loaded 80,000-pound tractor-trailer on a snowy, icy road.

Wind Makes Visibility Worse and Pushes Trucks Around

Windy winter conditions can blow snow across the road, obstruct lanes or make them difficult to travel, and make visibility difficult. Large 18-wheelers are more susceptible to being blown around by a cross-wind because of their large profile. In serious cases, a strong cross-wind can blow a truck from one lane into another, or even off the road.

Commercial Drivers Face Pressure to Deliver On-Time

For commercial truck drivers, time is money. They face pressure to deliver freight on time and are often paid by the mile. Many truckers push themselves to drive as many hours as possible in a day, regardless of bad weather conditions. They drive when they are dangerously tired, and take risks as they try to make up time.

Holding Trucking Companies Liable for Bad Weather Accidents

An accident involving a commercial truck is much more complicated than a collision involving two or more passenger cars. While the truck driver may be at fault, even when bad weather played a role in causing the crash, there are often other actors who may be responsible like the trucking company, manufacturers, brokers, shippers, loaders, maintenance providers, and others. Behind each of these companies is an insurance company staffed by teams of adjusters whose job is to make sure they pay your family as little as possible.

But you can level the playing field by working with an experienced Michigan trucking accident attorney. An experienced trucking accident attorney will research your case to identify all responsible parties and hold them accountable for the harm they caused.

Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys Fighting for You and Your Family

At Muth Law, our experienced truck accident injury lawyers fight for justice for people who were injured in catastrophic truck accidents.

If you were injured or someone you love was killed in a trucking accident, you and your family may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Punitive damages (in some specific cases)

Our attorneys have extensive experience representing victims of catastrophic trucking accidents and their families and have successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients.

We frequently work with accident reconstruction experts to evaluate and analyze evidence from the scene of a truck accident to determine the cause of the crash. Truck accident experts often work backward, starting at the final resting place of the vehicles and analyzing vehicle damage, injuries to the people involved, and weather conditions to reach conclusions about the speed of the vehicles, the severity of the collision, and what the drivers were doing in the moments leading up to the crash. This analysis is also used to identify other actors who were responsible for causing the crash.

If you were injured because a truck driver was driving unsafely in winter weather, our lawyers will fight to hold the responsible parties accountable for the harm they caused.

Learn more about our record of success, the Muth Law promise, and the people we serve, then contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation to discuss your case and how we can help.