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Why is skidding on the ice an at-fault accident?

How come skidding on ice is considered at fault? Last winter, my car slid off the road and hit a few trees. I was ok, but my vehicle had a lot of damage to it. I was shocked when I saw my renewal premium and learned it was considered an at-fault accident. There wasn't another car involved, and no one can see black ice.

avatar
Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“It is good to hear that you are doing OK after that accident! Sliding on black ice can be very scary.
Fault isn’t always determined by involvement of another car. Single-car
accidents
happen all the time where drivers are texting and run into fences, stop signs, things of that nature.
The main factor considered is if the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle.
Even though black ice is very hard to see, with slow driving and safety maneuvers, an accident can be avoided. Universally, insurance carriers feel that sliding on ice is at fault.
An example of a single-car accident that is not at-fault is an accident with an animal.
A deer is considered unpredictable and is regarded as a
comprehensive loss
.”
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