Road Deficiencies Lead Car Accidents

When a motorist drives on a state-sponsored road, there are several factors that he or she may take for granted. The fact that the road is a safe place for motor vehicles, of course, is one of them. If you are in a car accident due to a defect in a state-sponsored thruway in which a person was gravely injured, you may be eligible for compensation. The same goes for defective automobile equipment that led to the cause of injury or death, such as a defective car seat or tire.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s SaferCar.gov is an agency responsible for not only cataloging defective roads, but also for registering vehicle complaints “to ensure [drivers and passengers] stay safe on our nation’s roads and highways.”

The Department of Transportation catalogs types of deficiencies in the nation’s roads that can lead to accidents. There are five main types of road distresses for which the DOT is responsible. These distresses include: cracking; patching and potholes; surface deformation; surface defects; and miscellaneous distresses. Each has its own unit of measure for which to measure the defect, and the DOT lists each to ensure that drivers are aware of potential issues. Each category is further broken down into types.

Cracking, for example, includes the following:

• Fatigue cracking—heavily-trafficked highways that have a series of interconnected cracks, even in early stages of development;
• Block cracking—“a pattern of cracks that divides the pavement into approximately rectangular pieces); and
• Edge cracking—only pavements with unpaved shoulders.

Many major traffic routes will have patching and pothole issues, especially in major cities in which road repairs are difficult, expensive, and require the shut-down of major throughways.

When a person makes a complaint, according to SaferCar.gov, a government analyst will first review the complaint and, if warranted, send it then to the Office of Defects Investigation to determine if a significant danger exists.

If you have been in an accident due to either equipment or road deficiencies in the Chicago area, the most important first step is to seek the counsel of a Chicago car accident attorney. Contact Salvi & Maher, L.L.C., today.