More car accidents occur between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than at any other time of year. Furthermore, the hazards of driving on icy roads in the winter are so well known that even the most hubristic drivers know to use caution. While driving on Santa Fe’s icy roads, high above much of the rest of the country, requires nerves of steel, you might assume that, for the other nine months of the year, when the temperature is consistently above freezing, you have nothing to worry about, but you would be wrong. The fall brings its own set of hazards. The autumn in New Mexico is lovely to behold, but it presents a unique set of dangers for motorists. If you have been injured in a car accident in New Mexico, contact a Santa Fe motor vehicle accidents and car accidents lawyer.
Beware of Deer
New Mexico’s mule deer are a lovely sight, and if you are lucky, you might even see white-tailed deer in Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, or Sierra County, despite that several states close to New Mexico have no deer populations at all. While it is certainly a treat to see these gentle creatures walking through your yard as you look out your window at home or catch a glimpse of them in a park while you are hiking, it is frightening when one of them bounds across lanes of traffic in front of your car while you are driving or, worse, stands still in the middle of the road as you must make a quick decision about how to avoid hitting it.
Wet Autumn Leaves are as Slippery as Ice
New Mexico’s fall foliage is, likewise, a lovely sight, but whereas the danger of deer is that they may suddenly appear, the danger of autumn leaves is that they are ubiquitous. If you have ever raked fall leaves in your yard, you know that it is a big job to remove them all before they turn into a slippery sludge. When that slippery sludge accumulates on roads, it is as dangerous as if the road were covered in ice, but the difference is that you cannot make it go away simply by sprinkling ice on the road or by installing snow tires on your car.
Autumn Drinking Occasions Increase the Risk of Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving is dangerous no matter the season, but fall offers numerous occasions for getting drunk at places from which one must then get home. Fall is football season, so people driving home from tailgate parties are at risk of causing accidents when they should have taken a rideshare ride or appointed a designated driver. Likewise, Oktoberfest is a beer-soaked occasion in New Mexico as elsewhere, and the segment of the population that is just slightly too old to get a kick out of trick-or-treating can easily turn Halloween into a night of drinking.
Contact Slate Stern About Car Accident Lawsuits
Slate Stern is a personal injury lawyer who represents plaintiffs injured in motor vehicle accidents. Contact Slate Stern in Santa Fe, New Mexico or call (505)814-1517 to discuss your case.
Sources
https://wtop.com/national/2023/09/why-fall-not-winter-is-the-countrys-most-dangerous-driving-season/