Who Is Liable When an Accident Is Caused by Poor Visibility
A wide range of truck accidents stem in part from poor or inadequate lighting on roadways. When a 70 foot long vehicle carrying as much as 80,000 pounds is traveling on a two-lane highway or along an urban roadway, visibility is essential to safety. Who is responsible when a trucking accident is caused by insufficient or inadequate lighting on the road?
Poor Roadway Lighting Cited as a National Problem
Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation found an equal number of fatal motor vehicle crashes in daylight conditions and after dark. However, motorists typically put substantially fewer miles on their vehicles after dark (about 25% of all driving is after the sun sets). The research found that, when lighting conditions are inadequate, drivers have longer reaction times and take greater distances to come to a complete stop.
Who Is Typically at Fault for an Accident Caused by an Inadequately Lit Roadway?
Fault in most personal injury claims is typically based on negligence, or a failure to act in a reasonable way. Any person or entity that engages in negligence may potentially be responsible. That can include:
- A municipal government, such as a city or county, that has a duty to properly maintain the roads, if there are insufficient working lights along a roadway
- Private maintenance contractors hired by the municipality, if they failed to reasonably install, fix or maintain streetlights
- Private property owners who may have a duty to maintain a private roadway, parking lot or driveway
There’s also typically a duty on the driver of a vehicle to use appropriate caution under the circumstances. If the driver knew or should have known of the insufficient lighting, but failed to adjust his or her driving based on those circumstances, the driver could also be liable.
Let Attorney Michael R. De La Paz Protect Your Rights When You Have Been Hurt in a Texas Truck Accident
At the Law Office of Michael R. De La Paz, we have more than 26 years of experience protecting the rights of personal injury victims in Harlingen, McAllen, Brownsville and Houston, across Texas and nationwide. We have a comprehensive understanding of the types of injuries commonly suffered in any type of property-related accident and know how to effectively present your case to a judge and jury, if necessary. We will use our considerable experience, skill, knowledge and resources to help you get the outcome you want. Free call, text or chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week–https://delapazlaw.com/.
Handling Motor Vehicle Accident Lawsuits Nationwide, Including, But Not Limited to Texas, Florida, New Mexico, Illinois and Oklahoma