Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Discuss Pile-Up Accidents

A third person has died from injuries that she sustained in a recent six car pile-up accident that had already claimed the lives of two Gulfport residents. The accident occurred when an SUV rear-ended the vehicle that contained the three people who have now died as the result of the accident at a stop light. Other vehicles collided with the wrecked vehicles in a sort of domino effect, until a total of six vehicles had crashed. In addition to the two people who died at the accident scene and the person who died in the hospital, two other people were injured in the wreck.

Most of the time when a driver goes out on the road, they share the road with other vehicles during their trip. Traffic conditions vary, from situations where there are virtually no other vehicles on the road to heavy traffic that sits at a standstill for minutes at a time as drivers inch towards their destinations. Pile-up accidents, or chain reaction accidents as they are often called, can happen in any kind of traffic situation. However, they are far more likely on busy roads during periods of heavy traffic. When an accident occurs on a busy road, other vehicles that are driving nearby may become involved in the wreck.

Heavy traffic is just one cause of pile-up accidents. When heavy rain, fog, ice, or snow results in low visibility, chain reaction accidents may occur if drivers do not see a collision in the roadway in time to maneuver around it. If the road is slippery, drivers may lose control of their vehicle and slide into an existing collision even if they are attempting to avoid it. Weather-related chain reaction accidents can ensnare many vehicles at once. For example, in Kansas City, a pile-up accident that was caused by snow involved twenty two vehicles.

Chain reaction accidents can be dangerous and deadly. Fortunately, drivers can take some preventative measures that could help them to avoid becoming entangled in them. It may seem obvious, but it is essential that you adjust your driving to weather and road conditions that you encounter as you go along. Surprisingly, some drivers do not make adjustments like slowing down when visibility is low, and this greatly increases the risk that they will have an accident or pile onto an existing wreck. Driving slow on slippery roads enables you to maintain better control over your vehicle, in addition to giving you more time to respond to the movements of the vehicles that are driving near you, changes in road conditions, animals in or near the road, or wrecked vehicles. In addition to adjusting your driving to the road conditions, you can reduce the risk that you will be involved in a chain reaction accident by leaving adequate room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. A good rule of thumb is to give that vehicle a space of one car length for every ten miles per hour of your speed.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Support and Assistance for Mississippi Accident Victims

Pile up accidents can present confusing fact patterns and liability issues due to the number of parties involved. Don’t let your automobile accident claim get lost in the confusion. The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys of the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. are here to help you. Please call our office today, at (601) 355-2022, to learn more.