Drive Safely and Defensively

The Indiana State Police and local law enforcement have been very busy responding to major and minor car crashes related to winter storms and hazardous road conditions in the past several days. Indiana motorists should drive defensively and maintain vigilance-especially when the roads are covered with ice and snow.

As alluded to in previous blog entries, Indiana law establishes various rules of the road for safe driving. Non-compliance and bad driving habits can lead to accidents– even under the best of circumstances. Failure to abide by these safety statutes can also be a basis for a finding of negligence as a matter of law unless there is some reasonable excuse or justification for disregarding those rules. These rules include: keeping a proper lookout, maintaining your car under control, reducing speed for conditions whether they be weather, visibility, or some other cause. Also special precautions are necessary in the presence of and when a driver has awareness of children, impaired persons, or intoxicated persons. Distracted driving, especially as it relates to cell phone use, has also captured local and national attention as one of the common accident causes.

The Indiana State Police remind motorists to avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather conditions such as those Hoosiers are currently experiencing. If you must travel, reduce your speed, increase the following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you, leave early for your destination, and be sure to buckle up.