Driving the Speed Limit is Not Always Safe
As the days begin to get colder and the conditions more inclement, drivers would do well to remember that driving the speed limit may still render them liable in an auto accident in East Tennessee depending on the surrounding circumstances. The speed limit is determined as the maximum speed that can be safely driven on a given stretch of road under normal conditions. Bad weather conditions require a greater degree of care. Unfortunately, drivers often feel the impetus to drive at or above the speed limit no matter the conditions. This is a dangerous mindset that can result in the driver being seriously injured and/or defending against a lawsuit.
Tennessee has a lot of roadways that are curvy, steep, and narrow. When such roadways are wet or icy, traveling at the posted speed limit can lead to disaster. Drivers must use their best judgment in determining how fast to proceed on such roads. Failure to act as a “reasonably prudent” person while on such roadways is considered negligence under Tennessee law. For example, if the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour on a mountainous back road, that speed limit is clearly not contemplating that Tennesseans will drive at such a high rate of speed when the road is covered with snow and ice. If one were to travel down that road in such conditions at the posted speed limit and cause some sort of accident, the driver would stand a high probability of being held liable for acting negligently in causing the accident and would potentially be responsible for the injured parties medical expenses, lost wages, etc.
Many drivers treat the speed limit as a lower limit for gauging how fast they can really travel without getting a ticket, but inclement weather demands a different analysis entirely. A road with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour may demand that a responsible driver travel no faster than 25 miles per hour in order to navigate the road safely under adverse conditions. It may even require that the driver not attempt to use the road at all. The important thing to remember in order to avoid causing accidents and defending a lawsuit is to always act as a reasonable, cautious person would under the circumstances.
