When it rains in Ohio, many motorists continue to drive at or above the speed limit, but it is important not to. Even a little rain can greatly increase the risk of a fatal accident involvement.
According to a researcher at the North Carolina Institute of Climate Studies, a light rain, which is a drizzle that is steady enough to use an umbrella, increases the risk of fatal accidents by 27%. Moderate rain increases the risk of fatal crashes by 75%, and heavy rain increases the risk by two-and-one-half times. The study was reported in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 125,012 fatal car accidents that happened between 2006 and 2011. All of the crashes involved occurred in the lower 48 states. In addition to finding the increased risks of fatal collisions during rain, the researcher also found that the Upper Midwest and the Northern Rockies had the greatest risk of fatal crashes in wet weather conditions. The researcher surmised that this is because people in those areas of the country are able to drive faster than people who live in the crowded urban areas of the East Coast.
People who drive too fast for prevailing road or weather conditions may cause car accidents that injure or kill others. It is important for people to slow down when it is raining outside, but when they do not, occupants of other vehicles could be at risk. People who have been harmed by the negligence of such a driver might want to have the help of a personal injury attorney when seeking compensation for their losses.
