Attorney David J. King

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Is it safe to drive if you have health problems?

On Behalf of | May 24, 2021 | Blog, Car Accidents

Even if you’re a safe driver in South Dakota, your health problems might put yourself and other drivers at risk. If you have poor vision, hearing or muscle weakness, you might find it difficult to navigate the road. Older people are more likely to suffer from health problems, but young people with health issues are just as dangerous.

How could health problems increase your risk of accidents?

If you have hearing problems, you might have trouble detecting obstacles on the road. For example, you might not be able to hear approaching vehicles or oncoming traffic. You might also have to turn up the radio, making it harder to hear background noise. This can greatly increase your risk of getting into car accidents.

Poor vision can also make it harder to stay safe on the road. When you can’t see very well, you might have trouble detecting the proximity of other vehicles around you. You could also miss road signs, speed limit signs, stoplights and other important markers on the road. If you have trouble seeing other vehicles on the road, you might pull out in front of someone or crash into another vehicle when you’re trying to merge.

Surprisingly, your muscle strength can also have a big impact on your ability to drive. You might have trouble backing up if you can’t turn around and look at the road behind you. Poor muscle strength could even impede your ability to hit the brakes or turn the steering wheel. If you have health problems, it’s your responsibility to figure out another way to get to your destination. Otherwise, you’ll still be responsible for the other driver’s personal injuries if you get into an accident.

What if you’re the victim in this scenario?

On the other hand, you could hold the other driver responsible if they’re the one who caused the accident. You could hold them accountable even if they have health problems that impede their ability to drive. Talk to an attorney about dealing with the other driver’s insurance company or filing a lawsuit to cover some of your medical bills.

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