New Jersey is equipped with managed lanes that closely control traffic direction, including dedicated left or right turn lanes with arrows painted on the road and overhead lane use control signals (i.e., green downward arrows and red X’s) for reversible lanes and non-reversible freeway sections, for example. But even so, head-on collisions between two vehicles still happen more often than they should, and when they do, the aftermath can be quite catastrophic. Without the need for further introduction, please read on to discover what frequently causes head-on collisions to occur on the roads and how one of the seasoned Monmouth County car accident attorneys at Wilton Law Firm can assist you in appropriately assigning fault and initiating a personal injury claim for your damages.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other credible resources, three of the most commonly reported causes of head-on collisions are distracted driving, drowsy driving, and impaired driving. Firstly, a driver may be texting, eating, conversing with passengers, checking their appearance, or multitasking with something else that takes their attention away from the road ahead of them. Naturally, this may cause them to drift their vehicle across the center line into opposing traffic.
Secondly, when a driver stays behind the wheel for too long without taking sufficient breaks, they may grow alarmingly fatigued. Even if they close their eyes and accidentally doze off for a few seconds, this is enough for them to swerve into oncoming vehicles. Lastly, a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol may misjudge their position in their designated lane and actually situate themselves a little over the center line. Or, they may unknowingly enter a one-way road in the wrong direction.
Besides driver negligence, there may be external environmental factors that increase the risk of getting involved in a head-on collision. For instance, if you are navigating down a rural road, there may be an absence of physical barriers between opposing lanes. Otherwise, there may be a lack of overhead lighting that considerably diminishes visibility, especially on narrow lanes and at sharp curves. If these elements were at play in your accident event, you may hold a public agency partially accountable for your damages in your personal injury claim.
In another example, you may have been driving through a construction zone or detour route in the moments leading up to your head-on collision. In these areas, there may have been insufficient signage or barriers. As a result, you or an opposing driver may have misjudged your alignment in your designated lane and accidentally crossed over. In this case, you may consider placing your claim against the responsible contractor, project supervisor, or construction company.
Other times, weather-related hazards like snow, fog, or heavy rain may affect or minimize the fault you can assign to other involved parties. But at any rate, if you wish to gain more clarity on the situation you are dealing with, the best way to get it is by consulting with one of the competent Monmouth County auto accident attorneys. Get in touch with our team at Wilton Law Firm today.
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