Many people associate a rise in car accidents with the winter months when holiday travel happens and when dangerous weather, including ice and snow, can result in hazardous road conditions. However, it is important to know that car accidents also happen at a high rate during the summer months, as data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) underscores. There are multiple reasons for the high rate of traffic collisions during the summer, and it is important to understand the risks and to know how you can seek compensation. Our Delaware car accident attorneys can tell you more.
- More Inexperienced Student Motorists are Driving
Why do so many car accidents happen during the summer in Delaware, especially when there are fewer weather-related hazards? One of the reasons is that more inexperienced student drivers are behind the wheel. Students are on summer vacation, and more teenagers are driving. When a high number of inexperienced motorists are on the road, collisions are more likely.
- Families Plan Road Trips and More Cars are on the Road
The sheer number of cars on the road can also impact the risk of an accident. During the summer, many individuals and families plan road trips and travel to Delaware’s beaches, which means a significant amount of road traffic. The more vehicles on the roads, the greater the risk of a collision.
- Inclement Weather Can Still Happen
Even though the most obvious inclement weather occurs in the winter, it is important to keep in mind that inclement weather, such as dangerous thunderstorms, can also occur and affect road travel during the summer months.
- You Will Need to File a Lawsuit Within Two Years
Many people who are injured in Delaware collisions will initially seek compensation by filing an auto insurance claim. Yet when an auto insurance claim is insufficient to cover losses, the injured party should find out more about filing a car accident lawsuit. It is important to know that Delaware law requires you to file a car accident lawsuit within two years from the date of the crash, or else your claim can become time-barred.
- Your Own Carelessness Behind the Wheel Could Reduce Your Damages
If you were injured in a car accident while driving during the summer months and your own negligence played a role in causing the accident, you may still be eligible to obtain financial compensation under Delaware law. However, your damages award will be reduced by your portion of fault, assuming that you are 50% or less at fault. Under Delaware’s modified comparative fault law, a plaintiff’s damages will be reduced by their portion of negligence as long as that plaintiff is 50% or less at fault. Once the plaintiff is 51% or more at fault, Delaware law bars the plaintiff’s recovery.
Contact a Delaware Car Accident Attorney
If you were injured during summer travel on the road, you are not alone. Motor vehicle collisions do happen during the summer months with some frequency, and one of the Delaware car accident lawyers at Freibott Law can help you to seek financial compensation. Contact us online or call us in Wilmington: (302) 633-9000.