Road signs are meant to communicate and provide immediate guidance to drivers. It helps drivers know what to expect and gives them enough time to react to possible obstructions. When the state fails to replace, fix or update old road signs, drivers are more likely to become confused and cause accidents.
How faulty road signs can cause accidents
Imagine approaching an intersection where there are two signs with opposite messages. One says to stay right, while the other says to stay left. When drivers are unsure what to do, they tend to freeze and panic or make rash decisions. Without proper context, a driver may make the wrong turn and collide with another vehicle or a pedestrian.
Accidents can result from a driver’s wrong decisions. However, it can also be caused by poor road design, like when the state fails to maintain or place road signs. In any case, people can suffer serious injuries from vehicle crashes. Seeking treatment for car accident injuries sometimes requires expensive hospitalization.
Who is liable for accidents caused by poor road design?
One of the most crucial tasks a motorist must do after an accident is to determine who is at fault so that they may seek compensation. Whoever is at fault may have to pay for the driver’s damages, such as medical expenses, missed wages and property damage.
Property owners in California have a responsibility under premises liability laws to resolve known risks or, at the very least, display warnings. In general, the California Department of Transportation should be in charge of the state’s roadways and freeways. But it is known that many of California’s roads are in terrible condition, which plays a significant role in vehicular accidents.
Depending on the facts and location of the accident, the motorist may seek compensation from either the city, county, state or federal government. However, pursuing a premises liability suit against a government entity is a lot of work. The motorist would do well to find legal representation capable of standing up to a powerhouse like the government.