Tifton Road Defects Lawyer
Car crashes in Georgia happen for many reasons, the most common of which involve dangerous driving behaviors. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Crash Portal, 76% of crashes in the state happen due to careless, intoxicated, or distracted driving.
Still, road defects can and have also contributed to many car accidents in the state by creating dangerous conditions that drivers cannot navigate safely. They also amplify other causes, like speeding or failing to yield, turning minor mistakes into crashes that can injure or kill motorists.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by a road defect in Tifton, GA, The King Firm can help. Contact our Tifton road defects lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your options or call at (229) 386-1376.
How The King Firm Can Help After a Car Accident Caused By a Road Defect in Tifton, GA
The King Firm was founded in 2020 to fight for life-changing results for accident victims in Tifton, Georgia. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience assisting injured clients in their fight against at-fault parties and their insurers for fair compensation.
If you suffer an injury in a collision, our Tifton car accident lawyers can help by providing you with the following:
- A free consultation to learn about your injuries and discuss your legal options
- A law firm ready to take on difficult cases and deep-pocket insurers
- A team with a track record of securing millions of dollars for accident victims
A car crash can produce severe injuries that cause physical and mental trauma. Contact The King Firm to discuss the compensation you can seek with an experienced Tifton car accident attorney.
How Many Crashes Result From Road Defects?
Past studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed the top three causes of traffic accidents, which are as follows:
- Driver error
- Environmental factors
- Vehicle factors
Environmental factors include conditions outside the driver’s control, such as:
- Surface conditions
- Weather
- Lighting
- Road design
- Signal malfunctions
According to the NHTSA’s report, these conditions play a critical role in approximately 52,000 car accidents each year.
Looking at the data from the GDOT Crash Portal in 2022, Tifton experienced 803 traffic accidents that year, including the following:
- 106 single-vehicle accidents
- Four pedestrian accidents
- One bicycle accident
Excluding these crashes, you have 692 multi-vehicle accidents, most of which happened during the day in clear weather and on roads that were dry, straight, and level.
However, road defects may likely have played a role in the following:
- 108 crashes on wet surfaces
- 145 collisions during darkness
- 66 crashes when visibility was limited by rain or fog
- 39 collisions on curved roads
The Crash Portal does not identify how many of these crashes happened as a result of poor conditions. For example, many of the crashes that occurred at night involved intoxicated drivers, but these drivers did not crash because the road was not lit properly. They crashed because their ability to drive was compromised by drugs or alcohol.
Causes and Effects of Road Defects
Road defects can result from many conditions, such as:
Poor Road Maintenance
When roads are not well-maintained, they can develop cracks and potholes that water can collect in, causing vehicles to lose traction and control of their vehicles.
Road Design Issues
Road designers can make mistakes, failing to anticipate how drivers might do the following on the roads they develop:
- Speed on sharp curves
- Fail to exercise caution at blind intersections
- Run stop signs or red lights in heavy traffic
In many cases, redesigning roads costs a lot of money, leading city planners to leave the flawed road in its defective condition.
Lack of Road and Crosswalk Planning
City planners might not plan properly for traffic or pedestrian congestion.
As a result, roads might not have adequate:
- Traffic control signals
- Sidewalks and pedestrian crossings
- Bicycle lanes
When city officials fail to provide appropriate facilities for road users, the latter may take matters into their own hands by doing the following:
- Jaywalking
- Disobeying signs and traffic controls
- Driving, walking, or riding on shoulders
- Cutting through parking lots
These driver, cyclist, and pedestrian behaviors all increase the risk of an accident.
Liability For Road Defect Crashes in Tifton, GA
After a crash, a Tifton road defects lawyer can identify the parties who might bear liability for any resulting injuries. In analyzing liability, the lawyer will examine whether each party exercised reasonable care.
Some potential parties involved in these cases include the following:
- Drivers
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Construction companies
- Road designers and planners
- City or county road maintenance workers
- Local or state government agencies
To prove the liability of non-governmental agencies, you need to prove that they knew (or should have known) their actions created an unreasonable risk to road users.
Suppose that a construction company left a gap in a road surface that caused you to lose control. Your Tifton personal injury lawyer will probably focus on proving that the opening failed to meet construction industry standards.
Proving the liability of governmental agencies is more difficult, however. It’s essential to receive legal assistance if you believe a government entity shares liability for your damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Tifton Road Defects Attorneys
Road defects can cause crashes that injure or kill road users. Contact The King Firm for a free consultation to learn about your legal options for pursuing compensation for your injuries in Tifton, GA.