After many auto accidents, your first instinct may be to assign blame to one of the drivers involved. However, in some cases, a crash will happen without negligence1 or fault of any driver. Sometimes, dangerous roadways are responsible for causing accidents and this can occur in the following ways:
Dangerously designed roads – When building or altering roads, the government entity in charge has the responsibility to ensure that those roads are designed in a manner that is safe for the traffic that will be traveling on those roads. Many factors must be considered in determining whether roads are safe, including allowing for merging, safe turns, intersections, and more. If the government designs an inherently dangerous road, it can lead to crashes.
Proper traffic signals – The government is also responsible for making sure all intersections are governed by the necessary stop signs or traffic lights. In addition, traffic lights must be properly timed to avoid collisions.
Warning signs – In some cases, the government will become aware of certain risks on roads, such as curves that are too sharp for the posted speed limit, areas with low visibility, potentially dangerous intersections, and more. If a risk is discovered and it cannot be fixed, the government must post signs give easily readable and adequate warning of the possible hazard so that drivers have the opportunity to slow down or take other precautions to avoid an accident. If there are no proper warnings, the risk of accidents increases substantially.
Road hazards – The government also has the duty to keep most of our roads inspected, maintained, and free from hazards. If government entities are aware of potholes, large cracks in the pavement, gravel or debris in the road, uneven roads, dangerous shoulders, or other possibly dangerous conditions and it fails to repair these in a timely manner, that entity should be held liable for any accidents and injuries that result.
Claims against the government arising from dangerous roads can differ significantly2 from claims against private parties who cause car accidents. You only have a limited amount of time to take action, so do not delay in discussing a potential claim with a skilled auto accident attorney today.
Consult with an Experienced Michigan Auto Accident Lawyer about your Injuries Today
If you have been injured in a car crash caused by someone else, please call to discuss your situation with a car accident attorney at Michigan Injury Lawyers. Contact us for a free consultation at 313-GET-HELP today.