The Federal Highway Administration [1] and its predecessor agencies have been directly engaged in the location, design, and construction of public roads, giving access to and through the National Parks, the National Forests, and other areas within the Federal domain. The Federal Highway Administration is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for assisting state and local governments with guidelines for the safe design and construction of roadways.
Not every automobile accident is caused by a driver who ignores traffic laws. In some instances, hazards on the road such as potholes, malfunctioning traffic lights or debris on the street, can lead to auto accidents. In many cases, the town, county, state or federal government is responsible for maintaining streets, roads, parkways, highways and interstates.
Common road conditions that contribute to car accidents:
- Confusing, damaged or missing road signs
- Blind curves and poorly banked roads
- Lack of traffic signals or poorly placed signals
- Improperly graded curves and uneven shoulders
- Inappropriate road materials
- Broken guardrails
Sovereign Immunity for Michigan Government
The National Conference of State Legislatures [2] defines sovereign immunity as the protection afforded federal and state governments and their employees from being sued without their consent. In the state of Michigan, the Governmental Tort Liability [3] Act provides immunity from all tort liability arising from activities where the governmental agency was engaged in the exercise or discharge of a governmental function. The Act has several statutory exemptions including the government’s failure to maintain and repair highways. If you were involved in an automobile accident where inappropriate road materials or missing road signs caused or contributed to the collision, it is important to speak to a Michigan car accident attorney as soon as possible.
Contact a Michigan Auto Accident Attorney
When road debris or other governmental responsibility causes or contributes to your auto accident, it is important to speak to a Michigan auto accident lawyer to discuss if is possible to file a claim against the government based upon the allowable exceptions. Call the experienced Michigan Injury Lawyers today at 313-438-4357 for a free consultation with no obligation.
Resources:
[1] http://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/about/history/
[2] http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/state-sovereign-immunity-and-tort-liability.aspx
[3] http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(ktchzfp3nicn42p1l2rbs3xj))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-691-1407