Auto Accidents

• Driver Distraction – A driver's capability is affected by the physical and mental ability to assess conditions and respond quickly. There are situations when a person may be distracted and becomes a potential hazard to themselves and other motorists. Driver’s preoccupied with cell phones, talking with passengers, eating or grooming in the car, attending to children in the backseat, poor eyesight, physical impairment and/or fatigue are all potential hazards that can lead to accidents.

• Driver Impairment – In the state of Wisconsin, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of any drug or alcohol to a degree that renders the driver incapable of safely driving. Alcohol or drugs, including some prescription drugs, and over the counter drugs (notably antihistamines), and can render you incapable of safely driving. For example, of the 724 fatal Wisconsin motor vehicle accidents in 2006, 305 of them involved at least one driver with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. Driving while drowsy is finally getting the attention it deserves. Fatigue and road-weariness are as dangerous as drugs and alcohol

• Mechanical Failure – Even though technology and safety standards are far greater today than in the past, automobiles are recalled by manufacturers due to the discovery of safety issues. Tire failure, brake failure, seatbelt failure, and airbag malfunction are major concerns because defects in these components endanger the driver and/or their passengers.

• Road Conditions – The road or environment can be a factor in an accident by either contributing to the driver’s mistake, or by not providing enough room to recover from such a mistake. Foreign obstacles or substances on road surface may include rain, ice, snow, and road damage including pot holes.

• Speed – Most crashes related to speed involve drivers traveling at a speed too fast for the conditions. However, studies show that the risk of having a crash is increased for vehicles traveling faster than the speed limit and for those traveling slower than the speed limit. Speeding doesn’t solely pertain to exceeding the posted speed limit; it also means exceeding the speeds for which the road was designed, the road condition, the weather, or the speed of surrounding motorists.

• Road Design & Layout – Some roads are known as accident “black spots.” These “blackspots” are places where accidents are concentrated. Accidents in these areas may occur for a variety of reasons, including poor sight lines, concealed traffic, surface conditions, and road signage.

Common Types of Collisions

• Side impacts –Vehicle damage and occupant injury are more likely to be severe, but the severity of injury depends upon safety features present, the speeds of both vehicles, and vehicle weight and construction.

• Rear impacts – Typical scenarios for rear-end accidents involve a car decelerating while the following motorist’s breaking reaction isn’t fast enough to react to the slowing or stopped vehicle in front of them resulting in a collision.

• Backup collisions – Backup collisions happen when a driver reverses the car into an object, person, or other car. Although most cars come equipped with rear view mirrors which are adequate for detecting vehicles behind a car, they are inadequate on many vehicles for detecting small children or objects close to the ground. Unfortunately, all mirrors have a “blind spot.” These accidents often occur in driveways and parking lots.

• Rollovers – Rollover is a well-known defect which affects virtually all compact SUVs, minivans and 15-passenger vans. If a roof crushes substantially as a result of rollover, the chances of suffering a disabling head or neck injury increase significantly.

Car Accident Injuries

Neck

Back

Wrists and Ankles

Internal Injuries

Contact our Wisconsin Car Accident Lawyers