by Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
The official arrival of winter 2018/2019 is fast approaching and has been preceded by some mid-winter like cold temperatures. It won't be long before Long Islanders are once again contending with snow and ice covered roads. However, these type of road conditions are not exclusive to the northern states, as just last winter even some schools in northern Florida were closed for a snow day. If driving in bad weather is unavoidable, there are certain factors that we all know but should remind ourselves of before getting behind the wheel.
Perhaps the most common mistake that people make while driving in inclement weather, is underestimating the time and distance needed to bring a vehicle to a safe stop. There are many factors that may affect one's ability to bring a vehicle to a safe stop such as reaction time, road conditions, brakes, tires and braking method utilized, just to name a few.
Reaction time and how fast a driver takes action that is necessary and prudent under the circumstances is key to accident avoidance. If for example a driver is slow to recognize a hazard or dangerous road condition, it could easily result in a motor vehicle accident. Recognizing road conditions and adjusting speed accordingly is therefore essential to accident avoidance. Drivers should pay heed to the statistics that indicate a motor vehicle may take up to 10 times the distance to stop on icy roads versus dry roads.
Additional safety factors include, among others, how worn a vehicle's brakes and tires are, the inflation level of the tires and the force in which a driver applies the brakes. A vehicle will take longer to come to a safe stop if the brakes or tires are worn or even if the tires are simply under inflated. Likewise if the brakes are applied with undue force on icy roads, effective traction may be lost causing the vehicle to skid.
These are just some of the factors to be aware of and each of them have their own set of variables that affect a vehicle's ability to come to a safe and complete stop. Therefore it is crucial to give due consideration to all of the prevailing factors that may affect one's ability to safely traverse the roadways and to reduce speed accordingly. Remember that the object is to not arrive at your destination the fastest but rather to arrive safely.
At Paul A. Lauto, PLLC, we wish you a happy holiday season filled with peace, respect and safe travels throughout the new year.
Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com
The official arrival of winter 2018/2019 is fast approaching and has been preceded by some mid-winter like cold temperatures. It won't be long before Long Islanders are once again contending with snow and ice covered roads. However, these type of road conditions are not exclusive to the northern states, as just last winter even some schools in northern Florida were closed for a snow day. If driving in bad weather is unavoidable, there are certain factors that we all know but should remind ourselves of before getting behind the wheel.
Perhaps the most common mistake that people make while driving in inclement weather, is underestimating the time and distance needed to bring a vehicle to a safe stop. There are many factors that may affect one's ability to bring a vehicle to a safe stop such as reaction time, road conditions, brakes, tires and braking method utilized, just to name a few.
Reaction time and how fast a driver takes action that is necessary and prudent under the circumstances is key to accident avoidance. If for example a driver is slow to recognize a hazard or dangerous road condition, it could easily result in a motor vehicle accident. Recognizing road conditions and adjusting speed accordingly is therefore essential to accident avoidance. Drivers should pay heed to the statistics that indicate a motor vehicle may take up to 10 times the distance to stop on icy roads versus dry roads.
Additional safety factors include, among others, how worn a vehicle's brakes and tires are, the inflation level of the tires and the force in which a driver applies the brakes. A vehicle will take longer to come to a safe stop if the brakes or tires are worn or even if the tires are simply under inflated. Likewise if the brakes are applied with undue force on icy roads, effective traction may be lost causing the vehicle to skid.
These are just some of the factors to be aware of and each of them have their own set of variables that affect a vehicle's ability to come to a safe and complete stop. Therefore it is crucial to give due consideration to all of the prevailing factors that may affect one's ability to safely traverse the roadways and to reduce speed accordingly. Remember that the object is to not arrive at your destination the fastest but rather to arrive safely.
At Paul A. Lauto, PLLC, we wish you a happy holiday season filled with peace, respect and safe travels throughout the new year.
Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com
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