Common Road Shoulder Accidents
Roughly 12% of all interstate accidents each year happen at the side of the road, on road shoulders, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Although those crashes occur in many different ways, some factors are common.
- Highway entrances and exits: Cars pulled to the side of a highway near an entrance or exit can be difficult to spot.
- Darkness: It is imperative that drivers use their hazard lights, especially after dark.
- Negligent drivers: Speeding, excessive lane changing, drinking and driving, texting behind the wheel and other dangerous activities often results in cars slamming into disabled vehicles on road shoulders.
- Driver fatigue: Long stretches behind the wheel are a recipe for disaster, leaving drivers less capable of spotting disabled vehicles and reacting to traffic.
- Defective vehicles: Car defects and malfunctions are often the reason why vehicles wind up disabled on road shoulders, putting drivers and passengers at risk.
- Pedestrians: Many pedestrian accidents happen on road shoulders and other stretches of highway that are not designed for foot traffic.
Regardless of the circumstances, anyone injured in a car accident in Colorado has the right to seek compensation from those responsible. A Denver road shoulder accident lawyer at Levine Law will investigate your case to identify those responsible and work aggressively to ensure that you are compensated.
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Avoiding Accidents on the Shoulder
While accidents can and do happen, there are some steps that you can take to keep yourself safe and avoid road shoulder accidents.
First, make sure that your entire vehicle is on the shoulder and out of the nearest lane to avoid oncoming traffic. Next, use hazard lights and other equipment – like signs or flares – to make yourself and your car visible to everyone else on the road. You should also raise your hood so that other drivers know that the vehicle is stopped.
If you need to get out of the car, exit from the side that is furthest away from traffic. If that is not possible, wait until traffic is clear to exit the vehicle.
Speak with a Denver Road Shoulder Crash Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a road shoulder or other car accident, Levine Law can help.
Our lawyers are pleased to serve clients throughout Colorado, including Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Loveland. Call 303-333-8000 or contact us online to speak with a Denver road shoulder accident lawyer.
