Brooklyn New York Legal Blog

Late summer and early fall can be very rainy in Brooklyn and surrounding areas. As a result, it's important for motorists to know basic safety tips for driving in this type of weather.

According to traffic safety experts, hydroplaning is one of the top causes of weather-related car crashes. Hydroplaning occurs when rainwater gets between a vehicle's tires and the surface of the road. If the layer of water becomes too thick, the tires can float off the pavement and lose all contact with the road, making it easy to spin out of control. The risk of hydroplaning is usually highest during the first few minutes of rainfall. This is because oil residue on the pavement mixes with the water to create slick spots. Once the oil washes away, the risk reduces, but drivers should remain cautious on all wet roadways.

School is in full swing and you’ve become accustomed to seeing children walking or riding their bikes in the mornings and afternoons. You make a point to be vigilant at crosswalks and to stop whenever a school bus turns on its caution lights or extends its safety arm. You are careful to be aware of your surroundings while driving, and you are courteous and follow the rules. However, the changing season introduces hazards for you and other New York residents that you haven’t seen in a year. It’s vital for the pedestrians around you that you are aware of the risks.

The following road and weather conditions will become more prevalent in the coming weeks as summer gives way to autumn, and you feel the pre-winter chill in the air:

• Early morning frost can fog up your windows and reduce visibility.
• Frost and ice will make the roads more slippery.
• Rain, mud and fallen leaves can create a slick surface to drive on.
• The sun’s changing position can create a harsh glare at unexpected times, especially in the early afternoon.
• Strong winds can throw falling leaves, twigs and other debris onto your windshield, reducing your visibility or frightening you as you drive.

Some rural roads in New York are particularly prone to dangerous crashes and other incidents. When roads with high speed limits come together at intersections marked by only a stop sign, severe collisions are often inevitable. This is especially true when visibility in the area is limited. In an attempt to reduce the number of such crashes, traffic engineers are looking to roundabouts.

While a traffic light is a common solution proposed when a junction becomes a site for frequent, serious car accidents, it may not be the only option. Traffic lights cut down on the number of incidents at a particular location, but they may not reduce the severity of the motor vehicle collisions that still happen. On the other hand, a traffic circle may not make such a substantial reduction in the number of overall crashes. However, the collisions that do occur are usually minor. In some locations, roundabouts could cut injury risks by up to 89 percent.

The National Institutes for Health has collaborated with university researchers on a new study about teen driving behaviors. Researchers observed 90 teen and 131 parent participants, using dashcams to observe drivers and the road while letting special software record speed and braking data. Their study period ranged from the time that drivers received their learner's permits to the year after they obtained their licenses. Teen drivers in New York may be surprised by the results.

The conclusion was that teens are eight times more likely to get in a crash or near-miss with another vehicle in the three months after obtaining their licenses than in the three months before. Many teens engage in unsafe driving behaviors such as turning too severely, braking harshly and accelerating quickly. Researchers also noted that while teens drive more safely than adults at night and in bad weather, they drive worse on bright, clear days.