How can poor road conditions amount to personal injury?

Potholes, spillages, uneven road surfaces and poor lighting are some of the factors that can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle causing accidents. They can also lead pedestrians to sustain painful injuries after they slip, trip or fall. It is therefore important that your local council/ Highway Authority maintains their duty to keep road surfaces, walkways and pavements safe for use.

Spillages such as mud, grease or oil can react with the bad weather conditions leaving roads unsafe for users. If you have lost control of your car as result and have consequently suffered personal injury you may have a potential claim.

Incidents due to poor road conditions

Pothole issues

Potholes are another cause of accidents within the United Kingdom whether that be on the road or on walkways. Large potholes on a road can get worse overtime causing road users to lose control of their car. Potholes on the walkways are a huge hazard to pedestrians, the danger being that most times these are not noticed until it is too late as it is easy for them to be covered with leaves and mud. This is why it is important that if such potholes or obstructions exist on the road the local authority makes this known to the public by way of a caution. The defect or obstruction must also be rectified within a timely manner to avoid the chances of an accident occurring.

However, this is not always the case and many times the Highway Authority and your local council do not have these measures in place until it is too late. Around 7% of the accidents that occur in the United Kingdom are due to poorly maintained roads.

Bad weather conditions

Bad weather conditions such as black ice on the roads, or lack of water drainage after heavy rainfall are other examples of where the roads can become dangerous for users if not maintained correctly. More road accidents occur in January than any other month in the United Kingdom due to bad weather conditions. The Highway Authority has a duty to grit roads when they anticipate there will be snowfall or other weather conditions that warrant maintenance such as gritting.

Contact our Personal Injury Specialists today!

If you or a loved one have suffered injury as a result of poor road conditions, or walkways/ pavements that haven’t been maintained then get in touch today for some free legal advice to see whether you may have a potential claim against the Highway Authority or your local council. You can get in touch with us on 0191 250 3200 for more information.