Ohio Weather and Trucking: When Mother Nature Becomes Evidence
There’s nothing quite as unpredictable as Ohio weather. A bright and sunny morning can give way to a snowy whiteout or downpour by lunch. Roads that begin the day as dry and easy to navigate can be covered by black ice before you even realize the weather has changed. For drivers of passenger vehicles, Ohio weather is inconvenient and dangerous; when trucks are involved, the risks are even greater.
The weather can play an important role in your truck accident case in Ohio. Working with a truck accident attorney with experience in this region can help you make the most of weather-related evidence. Call Soroka & Associates today to explore your legal options now.
Why weather matters in Ohio accidents
Ohio weather produces a full range of hazards that can make the roads dangerous for everyone. In winter, we have snow squalls, ice, freezing rain, and whiteout conditions that completely block all visibility. In spring and summer, we’re known for our heavy thunderstorms, flash flooding, and high winds. Year-round, you’ll see fog in the river valleys, unexpected temperature drops, and lake-effect snow.
These weather conditions are inconvenient for everyone, but truck drivers are especially vulnerable to sudden changes in the weather. They may experience longer stopping distances, and their high center of gravity makes them prone to rollovers. Because of the risks that trucks face, the FMCSA has regulations in place requiring drivers to slow down when weather affects visibility and traction. Truck drivers who fail to take these precautions can be held liable when their negligence leads to a collision.
Turning weather into evidence
Building a strong truck accident case means going above and beyond witness statements, photos, and video footage. Attorneys can pull multiple sources of weather and road data to figure out exactly what weather conditions were like at the time of a crash. They can also see what weather channels and radio stations reported, so they know whether or not truck drivers should have been aware of weather conditions. They may pull records from the National Weather Service and local news stations. Local news stations are a particularly valuable resource, as they provide more detailed local weather forecasts—sometimes they can report all the way down to conditions in specific neighborhoods.
ODOT road condition data can also be useful in truck accident claims. Snowplow activity logs show when roads were last plowed or treated with snow. Report logs show when roads were closed and when detour alerts went out. If the data shows that conditions were dangerous even after treatment, that’s a good sign that drivers should have been driving below the speed limit. But if records show that there were no road treatments, there could be some narrow and limited shift of liability to a contractor or municipality.
Seasonal trends and how they affect your case
While Ohio’s weather changes may feel random, they follow trends every single year. Your truck accident attorney may use these trends and historical data to argue that conditions were foreseeable and that the truck driver in your case should have been proactive about driving safely and minimizing risk. It does not matter if a truck driver is familiar specifically with Ohio or not; part of their job is knowing their routes and taking steps to minimize the danger to others on the road.
For example, I-70, I-71, and I-75 have a track record of snow squalls that lead to chain reaction crashes that result in massive damage. On roads like U.S. 23, drainage is limited on certain stretches. This means that heavy rain can cause hydroplaning and flooding.
Even if a driver only travels on Ohio roads occasionally, they should be aware of weather risks on their routes and take action to drive as safely as possible.
Challenging the “act of God” defense
One defense that we see come up time and time again in truck accident cases is the “act of God” defense. Trucking companies may claim that a crash was caused by an act of God—in this case, a snow squall or heavy rainstorm. However, most weather-related crashes do not fit into this category. Most forms of inclement weather are not considered inevitable “acts of God.” They are predictable and foreseeable, and drivers should be able to adjust how they drive in order to reduce their risk of accidents.
Why do trucking companies make this claim? If they can successfully argue that an act of God caused a crash, they are no longer on the hook for it financially. Everyone involved typically has to cover their own damages, and that means the victim loses the most.
Your attorney may counter this defense by pulling weather forecasts showing that the weather in question was forecast hours or days in advance. They may also show that the weather was the same for hours before the crash, giving the driver plenty of time to change their driving behavior and protect themselves and others.
They may also subpoena communication between the driver and their employer to look for signs of pressure or coercion. If a driver reports unsafe weather conditions and their employer pushes them to continue anyway in order to meet a deadline, this shows that they knew of the weather conditions and took risks anyway.
It’s important to act quickly after a truck accident in Ohio. The trucking company and its legal team will begin constructing their defense immediately, and the longer you wait to bring in your own legal counsel, the more of a head start you give the other side.
Get the defense you deserve with Soroka & Associates
If you’ve suffered injuries in an Ohio truck accident, our team is here to advocate for you. Take the first step in your claim by calling us or connecting with us online.