Autumn is a beautiful season, but it can be treacherous for drivers in Pennsylvania if they are not careful. The hazards start with children returning to school and pedestrians being in active school zones. Drivers need to adjust after a whole summer of not being troubled in this way.
End of daylight saving time
With autumn also comes the end of daylight saving time. Most people commute will be plunged into darkness during their evening. Night driving comes with all kinds of pitfalls because it’s harder to see and perceive distances correctly.
Animals, leaves, fog and other dangers
In addition, drivers run a higher risk of hitting wild animals during autumn. November happens to be deer mating season, so drivers can expect to see more deer in particular. Another mainstay of autumn, the falling leaves, can prove to be a safety threat as drivers can lose traction on damp leaves or hit a pothole that was hidden under leaves.
Reduced visibility becomes the norm in fall as drivers may find themselves traveling through thick fog or heading straight into the setting sun and dealing with the glare. There are also the problems that roads pose when made slippery from frost or puddles combined with dirt and dust. Tire pressure goes down with the cooler temperatures, so drivers who neglect to check their tire pressure become a danger.
For the victims of driver negligence
Motor vehicle crashes are typically caused not by facts of nature but by drivers’ neglect to take these realities into account. If you were injured by a speeding, distracted or drunk driver, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim. Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, so only cases involving serious injuries could allow for a third-party insurance claim. You may want a lawyer, though, as the other side might deny your claim.