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More than twenty drivers were caught in a chain-reaction crash last month after a driver lost control and crashed off a concrete barrier on I-15 in Murray. The driver of the first vehicle, a thirty-five-year-old man, was seriously injured and was sent to Intermountain Medical Center. One other driver was also hospitalized, but the extent of his injuries was not reported. All the other drivers were either unharmed or were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Delays Less Due to Timing of Crash

The crash and subsequent pileup happened late in the morning on Saturday, April 8. Coming on a weekend, the effects and inconvenience were somewhat less than what would be expected on a weekday, especially during peak hours. Traffic was still snarled heading toward the center of Salt Lake City for about three hours as the vehicles involved in the crash, which included two semi-trucks, were cleared from the scene.

Road Conditions and Driver Decisions in Question

In a statement about the accident, Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) said that the driver who caused the crash was driving “too fast for conditions and lost control of his vehicle in the rain.” The same statement said that he had hydroplaned. It’s not clear how fast he had been traveling, but hydroplaning is more likely to be a problem at higher speeds (and becomes a concern on slick roads above 35 mph). The posted limit on that stretch of I-15 is 70 mph, but drivers should remember that this is the maximum safe speed with good weather and road conditions.

Experts recommend that at even the first sign of rain drivers should reduce their speed 10 mph below the posted limit to avoid hydroplaning. Motorists are always advised to slow down in wet weather and to avoid sudden acceleration. UHP warns all drivers to pay attention to the conditions and “slow down and keep a safe following distance when driving in adverse weather.”

Weather and Speed Are Hazards

Roughly one in four crashes are weather-related, and a large majority of those are due to wet roads. Speed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is a factor in about 30 percent of all fatal crashes, leading to between 9,000 and 10,000 deaths each year. Combining these two risks—driving too fast and bad weather—is a very dangerous idea. It’s fortunate that no one from this multi-vehicle crash joined those statistics.

Salt Lake City Car Accident Lawyer

When you’ve been the victim of a car crash caused by another driver, you need the right help to navigate through the legal system quickly and efficiently. You need an attorney on your side with a full understanding of automobile accident law and years of experience helping those harmed in these crashes.

Turn to Craig Swapp & Associates. We’ve helped many clients receive the compensation they deserve from those responsible for causing their damages and injuries. We offer a free consultation to discuss your case, so give us a call today at 1-800-404-9000. You can also contact us online through the form below to schedule an appointment, or you can launch the LiveChat feature from any page of this website for answers to your basic questions.