Top Three Most Common Summer Car Accidents

Summer is a time when many of us get out on the road to go out to events or to travel for vacation. As a result, the summer season is the time of year that sees the highest rates of car accidents. Although any type of car accident can occur in summer, certain types of crashes are most common during the warmer months.

Road Construction Accidents

Summer is usually the height of the road construction season, as work crews try to take advantage of good weather to complete projects and repair road damage from the winter. Road construction means lane closures, shifting traffic patterns, detours, narrowed roads and highways, and temporary signage and traffic controls. These difficulties mean that drivers must exercise maximum attention and care when driving through construction zones. Unfortunately, drivers still commit many of the same errors and acts of negligence or recklessness that they might commit on a normal highway, like speeding, texting-while-driving, or changing lanes without signaling. In a packed construction zone, this often leads to accidents between vehicles or vehicles crashing into construction equipment or workers. 

You can avoid getting into an accident in a construction zone on the road or highway by observing the speed limit (which is often reduced from the normal limit for construction zones) and keeping your full attention on the road to follow the revised traffic flow and avoid obstacles or other hazards.

Read more: Do I Have a Car Accident Claim?

Tire Blowout Accidents

Tire blowouts also happen frequently in the summer. The warmer weather can cause tire pressures to increase due to both the ambient air and due to the heat generated by driving — road temperatures can easily exceed 100 degrees in the midday sun. When tires are old, worn, or damaged, this extra stress can lead to catastrophic failures such as a blowout or tread separation. A tire blowout can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle and get into an accident. Tire blowout accidents can be avoided by ensuring that your tires are in good condition and replacing them once they get old, worn, or damaged.

Distracted Driving Accidents

Unfortunately, distracted driving seems to rise during the summertime. This is due to many different factors, including:

• Teen drivers who are out of school, as teenagers’ inexperience behind the wheel may lead them to engage in distractions such as texting while driving, talking with friends riding in the vehicle, eating and drinking, or grooming.
• Visitors and vacationers, who may be distracted with their cell phone or navigation system trying to plot their route, or distracted by reading road signs to make sure they don’t miss their exit or run, or simply distracted by the sights and scenery of the area.
• Drivers rubbernecking to look at other vehicles that are broken down or involved in an accident.

Other drivers can be distracted behind the wheel while on their cell phones coordinating plans with family and friends. You should always avoid distractions while driving. If you need to use your cell phone on the road, either have a passenger make the phone call or text for you, or pull off the road where safe to do so to text or call or program your navigation system for directions.

Read more: When To Lawyer Up After A Car Accident

Contact a Perth Amboy Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at CourtLaw represent clients injured because of car accidents in Clifton, Trenton, Camden, Passaic, and throughout New Jersey. Call (732) 442-5900 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, as well as offices in New Brunswick, Roselle, East Orange, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Linden, Newark, Paterson, South Amboy, and Trenton.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.