After the end of a harsh winter, you may expect to encounter some road damage. Freezing temperatures and snow tires can wreak havoc on pavement, resulting in cracks and even large potholes on city streets and highways. At the law office of Klein & Carney Co., LLC, we know that poor road conditions can also threaten the safety of Ohio residents.
Exactly how dangerous are potholes, you may wonder? They may be an eyesore, and it can be annoying to drive over a hole in the street, but you might not have considered potholes to be a risk to your safety. However, as Forbes explains, potholes can be risky in numerous ways. Driving over a particularly large and deep pothole can cause significant damage to your car, which may result in a later accident if, for example, the pothole damage weakens a tire or ruins your alignment. You may also experience immediate danger if running over a pothole or attempting to avoid it causes you to lose control of your vehicle.
Determining liability can be challenging if it involves poor road conditions. Authorities may attempt to hold you responsible for losing control while driving, or you might not pin down an accident on vehicular damage caused by potholes. However, as you may know, it can seem like forever before city, county or state officials decide to have potholes repaired, during which time the potholes may worsen and increase the chances of accidents.
If someone’s negligence contributed to a motor vehicle accident that claimed the life of a loved one, you may wish to visit our wrongful death page for information on holding the responsible party accountable.
