With the autumn season comes cooler weather, falling leaves and football season. While different people can take or leave some or all of these trappings of fall, there is one thing everyone will definitely want to avoid — traffic accidents.
There are some definite seasonal trends that can increase the risks of fall driving. With school starting in the fall, buses hitting the road and parents taking their children to and from school will increase the overall traffic. Some children also walk to and from school, increasing the pedestrian traffic. Furthermore, it’s important to remember that the fall season also brings more precipitation. This can create slippery conditions — particularly when combined with falling leaves that can pile up on streets and roadways.
Daylight Savings Time ends in the fall, which combined with the shorter days makes for a lot more darkness during waking hours. Commutes that ended with several hours of daylight left in the day now begin in darkness. The lowered visibility implied in this increase in nighttime driving creates an uptick in accidents. Temperatures drop when the sun goes down. This increases the possibilities of frost or ice building up, especially on bridges.
Each season has its own particular risks, and an accident can happen at any time during the year. If someone has been involved in an accident, they may be eligible to receive compensation for damages. A personal injury attorney could evaluate an accident case and use all available evidence to assemble a civil or criminal claim. Compensation could help cover medical expenses, missed work and property damage.