Were You Involved In A Run-Off-Road Crash?
Often, when people think of car accidents, they imagine a collision between two vehicles. Some of the most deadly kinds of crashes, however, involve only a single vehicle. Run-off-road crashes, for instance, contribute to a large portion of the serious injuries and fatalities of car accident victims every year.
What is a Run-Off-Road Accident?
Run-off-road (ROR) crashes, occurs when a moving vehicle leaves the road and:
- Strikes another non-vehicle object, like a tree, light post, or other natural or artificial object; or
- Overturns on non-traversable terrain.
Unlike many other types of collisions, ROR crashes usually only involve a single vehicle. However, despite this, they still account for a large portion of serious injuries and fatalities suffered by victims of traffic accidents. In fact, these kinds of collisions occur much more often than most people realize, as ROR crashes are thought to account for almost 65 percent of all single-vehicle accidents.
What Causes ROR Crashes?
Studies reveal that in the majority of cases, the primary reason for single-vehicle ROR crashes is driver error, such as:
- Overcorrecting;
- Poor directional control;
- Traveling too fast around a curve;
- Driving too fast for the conditions;
- Falling asleep at the wheel;
- Driving while distracted; and
- Driving while under the influence.
Driver error and performance are not, however, the only causes of ROR crashes, a large percentage of which can be attributed to mechanical defect or third party negligence.
Liability for Mechanical Defect
Many single-vehicle accidents are the result, not of negligence on the part of the accident victim, but of a vehicle manufacturer who failed to use the proper degree of care in designing or producing the car or even a specific vehicle part. For instance, a lot of ROR crashes can be attributed to a problem with a vehicle’s steering mechanism, brake failure, or an issue with the vehicle’s antilock brake systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) functions. If an ROR crash was caused by a defective vehicle part or a mechanical failure, then the vehicle’s manufacturer or the company responsible for designing or producing the defective part, could be held liable for resulting damages. If successful, a claimant could recover compensation for vehicle repair or replacement costs, as well as medical expenses and lost wages.
Third Party Negligence
In some ROR accident cases, it is neither the injured party, nor a vehicle manufacturer that caused the crash, but another driver on the road. If, for instance, someone veered out of the way to avoid another vehicle that had lost control on the road and subsequently left the road, he or she could attempt to recover damages from the at-fault driver. To do so, an injured party would need strong evidence of the other driver’s actions, such as images from traffic cameras and dashboard cameras, or eyewitness testimony.
Call Boone & Davis for Legal Help Today
To speak with an experienced Florida car accident lawyer about your car crash, please call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today. We know how stressful these situations can be and will do everything we can to help ease some of your burdens by handling all the legal aspects of your case.
Sources:
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