Prevent Car Accidents Due to Defective Windshield Wipers

Prevent Car Accidents Due to Defective Windshield Wipers

Looking at the possible causes of car accidents, windshield wipers would probably not be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, windshield wipers are essential to the safety of any driver, and when they are not working properly, accidents are more likely to occur. In fact, it is quite obvious how auto accidents can be caused by defective windshield wipers.

Anywhere in the United States, these little but essential items will be checked before you take the driving test for your driver’s license. Along with your tires, brake lights, directional signals, brakes, steering, horn or mirror. If your windshield wipers are not in good condition, you will not be allowed to take the driving test.

Once you are in possession of a driver’s license, you also may be stopped at any time by a law enforcement officer for a vehicle inspection that will focus on the same technical aspects of your car in order to prevent auto accidents on Tamp Bay roads.

Weather Conditions

The weather has direct consequences on your safety on the roads. In fact, rainy and/or snowy conditions make driving much more difficult, and it is then even more important that your car is equipped with properly functioning and not defective windshield wipers.

People often envy Florida’s weather, but we actually have to face violent rain storms that endanger drivers on our roads from Tampa to St. Petersburg and beyond. As such, it is advised you have a professional complete a check-up to your car at least once a year.

Imagine if the motors controlling a car’s windshield wipers are defective are not working properly right in the middle of driving through a Florida rain storm. You can lose visibility quite fast, and car accidents can result easily. These kind of situations can happen almost instantaneously, and if you are in the middle of heavy traffic, or if your car is at a high velocity, the likelihood of an accident is dangerously high.

For obvious reasons, rain storms make it difficult for drivers to see the road or other cars. Anyone who have been on the Florida highways a day of June know too well that rain, combined with dirty water kicked up from the road by other drivers, is a nightmare even with decent windshields.

Water Has Never Been So Scary

According to some statistics, 23% of the estimated 5,870,000 vehicle accidents that take place in the United States annually are weather-related. Of these weather-related car accidents, 74% occur on wet pavement and 46% happen during a rain. Both winter-related and fog-related weather cause fewer crashes.

Having good windshield wipers and plenty of windshield fluid can keep your windshield clear, even in bad weather.

Avoid Defective Windshield Wipers: Taking Care of Your Car

When it comes to taking care of your car, you must learn some tricks that are really useful to any driver. A windshield wipers’ system is actually composed of several elements.

First, there is the wiper arm that connects to the base of your vehicle and holds the blade. This blade holds the wiper insert (the wiper is the rubber sponge that’s actually in contact with your windshield and making the annoying squeegee sound). Plus, there’s actually a separate wiper motor that powers everything… and so on. When one of these elements is defective, you are at risk to experience diminished visibility during rough weather, and as a result, be involved in a car accident. In fact, the U.S. Highway crashes in adverse road weather conditions study states that, on average, 178 weather related crashes happen every hour. “Over 673,000 people are injured and nearly 7,400 people are killed in these crashes each year.”

For all these reasons, and even more, John Bales Attorneys’ team recommend that you seek the assistance of a professional when it comes to the annual check-up of your car.

If you were hurt in a car accident in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Clearwater, and if the auto accident was caused by limited visibility due to malfunctioning or defective windshield wipers, contact us today. We’ll investigate the details of your accident and determine if the manufacturer is liable for your injuries or if the other driver’s negligence was the cause of the accident.