Whether you are riding a bike near traffic, driving or walking alongside the road, a reckless driver could cause you to become seriously hurt. Those who speed, drive drunk and use their phone behind the wheel cause far too many accidents, and the likelihood of a collision increases when weather conditions deteriorate.

Speeding, distracted driving and drunk driving can make it especially hard for a driver to avoid hazards and other vehicles when road conditions are poor due to heavy fog, rain and other factors.

Weather and traffic collision risks

The Federal Highway Administration covers different ways that weather can lead to traffic collisions. For example, fog can negatively impact visibility, and it can also result in speed variance and affect a driver’s behavior. Rain, snow and ice can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, especially while traveling up a steep hill or around a turn. In addition, heavy precipitation can also affect visibility.

In fact, even wind can cause a traffic collision. Wind can blow debris on the road, in front of a vehicle’s path, causing a driver to swerve into oncoming traffic. Heavy winds can also blow smoke and dust, affecting visibility.

Data on weather and traffic collisions

The FHWA reports that during an average year, more than 5.8 million traffic collisions take place, and roughly 21% of these collisions involve weather-related factors. Data taken between 2007 and 2016 shows that during this period, more than 418,000 people sustained injuries in traffic collisions that occurred in poor weather during an average year.

If a driver’s negligent behavior during poor weather caused you to suffer an injury, you deserve justice.