California residents have yet another worry to add to the list - potholes. According to a recent New York Times report, the potholes in Los Angeles and beyond are growing as a huge problem. A 2009 study found that the Los Angeles area had the poorest road quality in the country.
The smallest pothole may also cause another driver to lose control of his or her vehicle, leading to a car accident.
Severe potholes affect California residents by causing dangerous and avoidable car accidents in two other ways:
- Tire tread blowouts, separation: It's easy to understand the connection between tire problems and potholes. However, when a driver loses control because his or her car strikes a pothole and blows a tire, there can be serious consequences. In some cases, the tire may have been defectively manufactured, leading to the blowout while driving over potholes in California.
- Negligent construction: A party who participated in the construction of a roadway may also be held accountable for serious accident injuries following a car accident. Workers, city planners and the state DOT all have a responsibility to act with care when building roadways that residents will use. When a road is improperly constructed, leading to significant road defects such as potholes, they may be held responsible for personal injury in a collision.
After losing control or being involved in an accident caused by a dangerous pothole, contact a skilled San Diego car accident attorney.
Source: New York Times, " The Downs and Ups of Driving in Los Angeles," Jennifer Medina, 1/8/2012