Two-lane highways are convenient for getting around smaller cities and rural areas quickly, but they can also be dangerous. Cars usually have to pass other vehicles in the opposing traffic lane. This can be done safely if there’s little other traffic on the road, but on busier highways, it can increase the chance of a head-on collision.
Of course, any highway is less safe when there are drunk drivers on it. A driver who caused a two-car collision in Trappe, Pennsylvania, that injured four people is suspected of driving drunk, according to state police. The 20-year-old man was making an “unsafe road change” as he approached a hill, causing his Volvo to collide nearly head-on with another car.
State troopers said the accident happened as the driver was trying to pass another car by shifting into the lane of oncoming traffic. The car he hit was coming from the opposite direction. The driver was a man in his 20s, who had to be flown to the hospital. His passengers were three teenagers, all three of whom were also injured. The extent of their injuries is unclear, but both cars suffered extreme damage.
If the Volvo driver, who was the only person in his car at the time and didn’t suffer any injuries, is found to be at fault for making the unsafe lane change, he could face personal injury lawsuits by all four people in the other car. If it’s determined he was intoxicated at the time of the crash, he could not only have to pay the victims for their injuries, but also face fines and jail time.
The more factors that are involved in a car accident, the more complicated a resulting court case is. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, especially one where drunk driving is suspected, working with an experienced personal injury lawyer can help ensure your medical bills, lost wages and other expenses are fully covered.
Source: Perkiomen Valley Patch, “DUI Suspected in Trappe Two-Car Crash,” Ann Cornell, Dec. 16, 2011