Introduction
Although the severity ranges, winter weather creates its own challenges for drivers especially in a city like Tulsa where the weather can change in an instant. Driving at excessive speed in conditions like these, presents a much higher risk of crashing, not only for the driver, but other road users too. This post will take a look at the dangers of winter speeding and give you some tips to keep yourself and other drivers safe, then we will talk about what happens to you in the legal system if you get into a winter speeding accident.
Speeding in Winter Weather and What It Can Do
Speeding is risky behaviour in any condition, but the dangers are heightened in winter weather, due largely to these 5 key trends:
1.Reduced Traction
Tires have less traction with snow, ice, and slush than they do with the dry road, so the vehicle is harder to keep on course. It will also make more sense that the faster you go, the easier you lose traction and skid.
2.Decreased Visibility
During the winter, you might encounter fog, heavy snow and nightfall very early thus visibility will be zero. When a vehicle is travelling at a high speed, to reduce the time required to respond to unforeseen obstacles or changes in the road is difficult.
3.Longer Stopping Distances
Rain or Breaking-City is an inhibitor of a killer virus and provides a safer area in the road especially since wet and icy roads increase stopping distance for a vehicle. Speeding limits the time to react and increases stopping distances risking collisions.
4.Higher Incidents of Accidents
More faster speeds cause larger accidents. Higher speed means much higher forces generated during a crash, with consequences that would normally lead to fatalities.
5 Hydroplaning and Black Ice
Slushy and icy roads tend to hydroplane very easily at higher speeds. One is black ice, nearly impossible to see, but can quickly send a car spinning, especially when going too fast for the thick ice.
Winter Driving Safety Tips
Speeding makes winter driving significantly more dangerous, so here are some safety tips to help to reduce the risks.
1. Reduce Speed
The best thing to do is to reduce speed to meet the road conditions. At slower speeds, the acceleration reaction time increases for improved vehicle control in slippery conditions.
2. Follow at a Safe Distance
To allow for increased stopping distances, increase the following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. A longer following distance allows more time to respond to any unexpected stops or changes in traffic.
3.Use Winter Tires
Replace regular tires with winter tires, designed to grip snow and ice. This means that they have thicker treads and are produced from compounds that retain flexibility at lower temperatures.
4. Avoid Sudden Movements
Loss of control can occur due to sharp steering, braking or acceleration. When you move up, gradually but smoothly, you are more likely to have traction and will not increase the chance of losing control of your car.
5. Stay Informed
Avoid travelling in unsafe weather or road conditions. Plan your route with that in mind and then be prepared for adverse weather slowing you down.
6. Use Headlights
Turn on your headlights to see better and to be seen by other drivers. Whenever you’re driving in snow and fog, use your available fog lights and cut the high-beams, which only worsen visibility by bouncing off the snow and fog.
7. Keep Emergency Supplies
Bring an emergency response kit with equipment that includes, such as blankets, a flashlight, a shovel, some extra batteries, some food, a power bar, a first aid kit and some water dealer. If you get stuck in traffic, these supplies could be the difference between barely making it and becoming stranded on the side of the road.
8. Remove Snow and Ice from Your Vehicle
Clear snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, mirrors, lights, and roof before driving. Granted, it helps visibility to clear this area with your wipers — and prevents snow or ice from flying off and sticking to your windshield, doing the same thing — but this is the major flaw of this system.
9. Plan Your Route
And when it snows, stick to streets that are plowed and salted. Steer clear of back roads or shortcuts that might not be as plowed or maintained in the winter.
10. Use Cruise Control Cautiously
Never use cruise control on icy roads. Otherwise, stay in total speed control of your vehicle, and be prepared for the next road anomaly.
11. Monitor Tire Pressure
Cold weather can result in a corresponding drop on tire pressure, having a direct negative impact on traction. Check your tires weekly and keep them inflated to the right level.
Speeding Consequences in Winter Weather
Winter road conditions and speeding do not mix – lives are at stake and it can lead to some very serious consequences, including legal ones. Identifying them can help keep drivers making more informed choices, and understand the consequences of what they are doing.
1. Traffic Citations
Failure to reduce speed on wintry weather related citation. They can write tickets for driving too fast for conditions — even if you’re at or under the speed limit. Penalties for such infractions can be significant.
2. Liability in Accidents
Winter weather will result in huge crashes to occur, which may trigger the driver to pay the necessary damages due to the fact he committed his silly act of speeding. Such payments may cover property damage, medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering of those affected.
3. Increased Insurance Premiums
Speeding citations and accidents that happen during winter weather can result in higher insurance rates. Insurance companies consider these things high-risk, and as a result, it comes with higher insurance costs.
4. Criminal Charges
In a worst-case scenario, winter weather-related speeding can cause severe auto accidents resulting in bodily harm or death, and citations can turn into criminal charges. The types of charges can vary from reckless driving to vehicular manslaughter as just some examples.
5. Points on Driver’s License
Speeding tickets can also result in points on a driver’s license. The maximum amount of points is undefined, but if a driver receives too many points, it will result in license suspension or revocation through the driver responsibility program, limiting the driver from legally operating a vehicle.
6. Civil Lawsuits
Vehicle crash survivors in winter weather who are struck by a speeding motorist can file a civil lawsuit against the at-fault party. Lawsuits Filed To Claim Insurance, Long-Term CostsLegally, these lawsuits can ask for insurance coverage limitations, in addition to long-term medical care and non-economic damages, such as emotional distress.
Case Study: Winter Weather Accident from Speeding
But to put some teeth in the law, just look at the plight of John Doe, a Tulsan who sped on icy roads and caused a major accident. John drove too fast in snowfall, lost control of the car and crashed head-on against another car on an intersection.
The investigation determined that John was legally at fault due to the fact that he was travelling too fast for the conditions of the road, which caused the accident. He received a reckless citation and was deemed financially responsible for the losses suffered by the other driver. On top of that, John’s insurance premiums shot up through the roof and he was even threatened with the prospect of losing his license, because of the number of points he built up from his speeding ticket
The second driver was seriously injured, and he sued John for personal injury. The court issued an award to the plaintiff in this case to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. This case highlights the harsh legal and monetary consequences of driving too fast in winter conditions.
Impact on Commercial Drivers
The repercussions of speeding in winter weather can be even more drastic if you are a commercial driver. Take truck drivers, for example, whose heavier and taller cars can do more damage in a collision.
1. Professional Penalties
Those with commercial drivers licences (CDLs) can also see their CDLs get suspended, or face further penalties by their employers. It can lead to getting fired and not being able to get a new job in that specific field of work.
2. Company Liability
This combination is another good reason to hold trucking companies and shippers responsible, especially if it is discovered they knew or did nothing about encouraging unsafe driving practices. This can have serious legal and financial consequences for the business.
3. Regulatory Compliance
All commercial drivers are required to follow the rules laid down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This can result in fines or more attention by police and even suspension of operations for repeated offences like snow speed between ticks.
Conclusion
Winter weather is a risky time to speed; doing so can lead to felony charges. Drivers should know what these hazards are and how to prevent them to help prevent accidents and keep themselves and others safe on the road. The realization of the legal know-hows of such deeds can also help in curbing such unfriendly driving manners. This is an urgent reminder that as we move into the winter months, we always need to remain safe and cautious while driving, to avoid accidents on the streets of Tulsa and guarantee the safety and welfare of all other drivers.
If you have any legal questions about this article or require aggressive legal representation, please contact us here.