Were you involved in a winter car accident and found "at-fault" due to the fact that you struck the other driver, yet wonder how the heck such a safe driver like you could have made such a disastrous mistake while driving? Auto accidents typically occur in the "blink of an eye," which may leave you searching for answers about why you suddenly made an error on the road. The truth is that accidents can happen so quickly, you may not remember or even known that a vehicle malfunction was the true cause of your accident and not a temporary lapse in your safe-driving judgement. Read on on to learn about three parts of your car that can malfunction and cause a vehicle accident, then have a mechanic inspect these parts of the vehicle you were driving during the collision to see if the accident was not your fault at all, but the fault of the auto manufacturer.
1. Your Windshield Wiper System
Having a clear view of the road through your front windshield is a very important part of driving safely. In fact, having a clear windshield when driving is so important that many states deem cars unsafe to drive if they have simple cracks or nicks in the front windshield and give drivers hefty fines when they choose to drive with cracked windshields.
Auto makers know that installing a windshield wiper system is a very important part of manufacturing a safe automobile.
Unfortunately, even windshield wiper systems that work properly for years can suddenly malfunction when a car is being driven and a driver needs that system the most; in winter weather, you don' t just need to wipe rain off your windshield, but also salty, muddy "slush" that impair your vision greatly.
Of course, as a vehicle owner, you are responsible for replacing your wiper blades regularly and keeping your wiper fluid tank full, but if you have always taken those steps and upon inspection, it is found that any part of your wiper system malfunctioned while you were driving and led to your vision being impaired at the time of the accident, contact a car accident attorney to see if you have enough evidence to prove in court that that auto accident was not actually your fault at all, but instead the fault of the auto manufacturer who installed a defective windshield wiper system. Click to find out more.
2. Your Car's Braking System
Every driver relies on their vehicle's braking system to work each and every time they press their foot on that brake pedal. If you chose a vehicle equipped with anti-lock brakes, then you also rely on the ability to steer your car while you are breaking, which is an important brake safety feature developed to help prevent auto accidents. Of course, as you may know, even the best braking system can fail to keep a car from sliding while the driver is braking on slippery ice, and for this reason, if your brakes failed you while driving in winter weather, you may suspect that hidden ice was to blame, even though you felt sure that before the accident the road you were driving on was not icy.
If your brakes failed you in winter weather and you suspect there was ice on the road you just didn't see, then you may not have your braking system inspected for defects. However, you should have the braking system inspected for defects that could have actually led to the accident. This inspection could not only reveal that ice wasn't to blame for the accident, but instead a faulty breaking system, but also save your life if you plan to drive the automobile involved in the accident again once it is repaired
Traditional braking systems are made of many parts, and anti-lock break systems are even more sophisticated. All it takes is one faulty part for your brakes to fail you when you need them most.
If you were involved in a winter auto accident that occurred "in the blink of an eye" and are typically a safe driver, then you may just assume you suffered a quick lapse in driving judgement that led to the accident or that the seemingly un-icy road was actually covered in ice and you just didn't realize it. However, by making these assumptions, you may be accepting fault for an accident that was not really your fault, but instead the fault of the auto manufacturer. Have your vehicle inspected for mechanical failures before you accept the blame for that accident and especially if you plan to drive it again. If the mechanic finds that an important vehicle safety feature failed you while you were on the road, then contact a personal injury attorney that specializes in auto accidents and don't drive that car until you know safety defects have been repaired.
Share13 January 2017
I have never been someone who likes the idea of suing another person, but after my family was plowed into by a drunk driver with no regard for the law, my tune changed. I realized that I needed to do what I could in order to make things right, so I started looking for a lawyer who could help me to fight for the settlement I deserved. It took a few months in court, but by the time I won my settlement, I felt a lot better about things. This blog is all about getting the legal help you need when you need it the most.