Sacramento Truck Accident Lawyers

Hazardous Road Conditions & Trucking Accidents

Hazardous road conditions are the cause of many fatal motor vehicle and truck accidents.  Poorly designed and maintained roadways are quite dangerous.  In addition, unsafe road conditions such as debris on roads that have fallen from trucks and other motor vehicles and improper road repairs can result in serious accidents.  Other hazardous road conditions that may result in motor vehicle or truck accidents include:

• Poorly marked construction zones
• Traffic signs which are not highly visible to drivers, including grade crossings
• Defective signals and signs
• Inadequate signage warning drivers of road changes
• Inadequate lighting which can result in poor visibility for drivers
• Improper guardrails
• Dangerous roads as a result of poor design that include severe pavement edge drops, narrow lanes, and angles and curves
• Bad road conditions, including potholes, differences in pavement, road texture, etc.
• Bad weather, including heavy rain and fog

All of these and more can cause serious truck accidents and motor vehicle accidents and result in catastrophic injuries, including severe back, head, and neck injuries.  Even worse, some truck accidents and motor vehicle accidents may even result in paralysis or death.  When roads are left unsafe by construction companies and other entities, and such hazardous road conditions are the cause of accidents, then such parties most likely can be held liable for damages sustained.  These damages include repairs to the trucks and motor vehicles involved and the financial losses that are a result of the accident.  

If you have suffered injuries because of hazardous road conditions, it is important that you act quickly.  You need to preserve the evidence of the hazardous road conditions which were the cause of the accident.  Take a picture of the hazardous road conditions as soon as possible so that such evidence is preserved. 

California taxpayers are entitled to properly maintained and safe roadways.  State and county officials are required by law to post appropriate and readable signage, especially when roadwork is being conducted and hazards exist.  If you are aware of hazardous road conditions, you need to inform your jurisdiction as quickly as possible.  Once the jurisdiction is informed, then it is responsible for ensuring the safety of drivers by making appropriate corrections. 

In order for a hazardous road condition accident case to be valid, it must be proven that (1) the road was in a hazardous condition at the time of the accident, (2) the hazardous condition caused a foreseeable risk, (3) injuries sustained in the accident were a result of the hazardous road condition, (4) the hazardous condition was caused by a public employee’s wrongful act or omission, and (5) the public entity had received notice of the condition in time to fix it, but failed to do so.