Four-Car Collision Causes Fatal Rollover
Earlier this week, a four-car collision left one man dead—the cause of his death reported being blunt force trauma. The crash happened at 2:26 a.m., in a construction zone, after a car was driving way too fast and hit another vehicle that was slowing or stopping light of the construction area. The first collision caused the hit vehicle to rear-end a third car, causing the third car to then hit a fourth car. In the course of the accident, the second car flipped over—ejecting the driver, causing him to be pronounced dead on the scene.
After the accident, the driver of the first vehicle, the passenger in the second, and the driver of the third were all taken to a nearby hospital. The driver of the first car and the passenger in the second were listed in critical condition, while the driver of the third car was treated for minor injuries. Though investigations are still underway, this accident seems to be both a wrongful death and a personal injury case—with the responsibility going to the original driver.
Any accident is dangerous. However, should a car rollover, it becomes inherently more so. Rollovers are the result of poor decisions made on the part of a driver, road conditions, vehicle maintenance, and environmental factors. While the type of vehicle does affect how easily it rolls over—especially if they are taller, narrower vehicles like SUV’s, pickup trucks, and vans—any automobile has the potential to flip. In situations where a rollover causes death, speed is usually a defining factor. In fact, 40% of all fatal rollover accidents are the result of speeding, and ¾ of these accidents happened in an area where the speed limit was posted at 55 mph or higher. Another factor is alcohol. If a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he or she is more likely to speed—and as a result, he or she has the increased potential to cause a rollover accident. As for environmental factors, rural areas, especially those with speed limits of 55 or higher, are often the scene of fatal rollover accidents.
In any case, should you—or in the case of a wrongful death, your loved one(s)—be involved in a fatal rollover accident, it is imperative that you hired a qualified personal injury attorney to help handle the complex details of your case. Doing so ensure that you get the best possible outcome for your case, and hopefully, the compensation you deserve.