When You Hit An Object In The Road
No one wants to be in a collision, but accidents can occur when you least expect them to. The same is true for single car incidents when a driver hits an object in the road. However, if the object is unavoidable and there is damage to your car, what happens next and who is “at fault”?
Stationary vs Flying Objects
The nature of an insurance claim is determined by the type of object hit; naturally, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that if an object came flying at your car, such as a piece of broken truck tire or falling rock, there was no time to react, and the object was in midair when you hit it, then it is a comprehensive claim, as opposed to an at-fault, collision claim which you file for hitting a stationary object. In either scenario however, if you want or need to file a claim to repair the vehicle, you will have a deductible and, in the latter scenario, your insurance may go up.
Avoiding An Object
It’s said that if you are driving and an animal darts in front of you, or is simply stopped in the road, that you should plan on hitting it, rather than swerve to avoid it. The reason behind this thinking is that, the average driver is not as aware of their surroundings as they really should be and swerving to avoid the animal might cause more damage or injury. This is not to say that you should plan on running straight into an object on the road before you, but to say that, as a driver, you have the responsibility to be aware of not only your immediate surroundings but of what lays ahead. If you can safely avoid the object without hitting another car, or risking a more dangerous situation, than you should avoid it. As soon as you realize the situation, begin to decelerate and quickly take stock of what is around you. Obviously, avoiding any type of collision is the goal, but a collision with a bush is better than a collision with a concrete barrier.
Drive Smart
We’ve all seen it- a twenty year old pickup truck, loaded to the gills with rickety pieces of wood and debris precariously strapped in, and swaying to the motion of every movement. The best advice? Stay far away from those vehicles. As with life in general; while we can’t avoid every surprise life will throw at us, we can make the decision to avoid the obviously dangerous situations. If you get behind a vehicle that makes you nervous, move over or pull over until they are away from you. It’s simply not worth the white-knuckle driving you would have to do being in their vicinity.
The lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert L. Meissner are experienced in getting people who have been injured the compensation they deserve. If you are looking for a Sacramento auto accident attorney, please call (916) 863-2900, or fill out our online form for a free consultation.
