As common as car accidents are, the vast majority of people will probably never be involved in a serious or fatal car accident. Nobody wants to get into a car accident, which is why most people practice defensive driving techniques and do what they can to avoid a collision. Unfortunately, some people overestimate their driving abilities (or in some cases alcohol tolerance) and attempt to drive when they should not. This contributes to accidents that could likely have otherwise been avoided.
A fatal accident occurred recently in Massachusetts when a car ran a red light and collided with a truck. The driver of the truck that was struck was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition. A female passenger was taken to the same hospital after the accident, but she was pronounced dead. The driver who ran the red light is facing many charges, including Operating Under the Influence and open container violations.
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, many people believe that they will be able to consume alcohol and drive with no impairment. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case, especially when you are over the legal limit. Any number of factors could have led to this accident. Perhaps the driver’s reflexes were slowed and he could stop at the light, or perhaps his decision-making was impaired and he simply chose to go through the light.
Whatever the reason for the man’s actions, a woman is now dead and another man is in critical condition because of one driver’s negligence. It is for reasons like this that the law provides protection for victims of negligent driving practices. Money certainly will not replace the life of the woman who was killed, but it can perhaps make the recovery process easier for the man who now has unexpected medical bills to pay for. Massachusetts residents who find themselves in accidents are encouraged to seek legal help in the aftermath of such an accident to find out if they could qualify for compensation.
Source: WHDH, “One charged in fatal Beverly car accident,” May 11, 2015
