Snow and ice has returned to the Kentucky roadways, and there could be more of the wintry precipitation in the upcoming weeks.
As the residents of this state know, these sorts of conditions make the roads in the area hazardous. Unfortunately, some drivers might not care much about the fact that the roads are slick and just keep driving at high speeds as they usually do, making it more likely that they will cause an accident.
It is important for all drivers to know, however, that they have a duty to keep control of their vehicles, and this is true even if the weather and road conditions are not ideal. In fact, Kentucky motorists can receive traffic tickets simply for not controlling their vehicles.
Moreover, police generally will not ask whether or not a person meant to commit a traffic violation when they write a ticket. As such, if a person follows too closely, drives on the wrong side of the street or fails to stop at a stop light because of snow and ice, they are still responsible under the law.
While the fact a driver gets cited for a traffic violation does not guarantee a victim will win a personal injury suit or a family will win a wrongful death suit, it can be used as evidence that a driver was not operating his or her vehicle in as safe as a manner as he or she should have.
Even when the roads are bad, Kentucky drivers must look out for other motorists and do what they reasonably can to avoid accidents. When they do not, they can be held accountable to pay for their victims’ losses.