No one thinks that they are going to sustain an injury in a car accident until it happens. According to the CDC, injury-related deaths cause more deaths than cancer or the flu. One person every three minutes dies from injury.
You may be surprised to learn that dangerous road conditions attribute to a large number of accidents. A recent study shows that 22 percent of Pennsylvania rural roads are in poor condition, and ranks in a three way tie for the first worst state of structurally deficient bridges. How do poor road conditions cause accidents?
Potholes
Cracks and potholes in the road can cause the wheels of a car to sink into them, resulting in possible loss of control of a car. Vehicles may not have the ability to absorb the impact of hitting a crevice in the road, especially if you are traveling at high speeds or in the rain.
Erosion
Eroded roads can have a similar effect as potholes. It can be hard to keep the car stable while driving along roads and bridges that are severely eroded, causing many accidents. Similarly, loose gravel from erosion on the road can cause vehicles to lose traction.
Lack of signs or road paint
It is important to be able to see the signs on the side of the road as well as the white and yellow lines on the road. Without adequate road communication, drivers are more likely to drive recklessly and injure others.
If possible, it may be best to avoid roads that are in poor condition. However, this tactic may be unavoidable. You may be able to prove the city or state negligent for not repairing the road if they could have fixed the damage before the accident occurred.