Wrong-way crashes happen very rarely, yet when they do occur the outcomes can be much worse than in many other collision types.
In the United States, wrong-way driving accidents claim between 300 to 400 lives a year. This is according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). They found that because these collisions often involve head-on impacts at high speeds the injuries can often be severe.
Drivers can be in a lane they shouldn’t be in, making themselves an immediate hazard, and putting every other driver on the road in serious danger.
Deadly Head-On Collision in the Mayfair Neighborhood
A woman was killed after a head-on crash in Philadelphia’s Mayfair Neighborhood Tuesday morning. CBSN-TV reported the collision happened on Frankford Avenue around 9:30 a.m. on November 10, 2020.
Philadelphia police say a maroon GMC Arcadia was traveling in the wrong direction in the northbound lanes. The Arcadia clipped two vehicles and then struck a black Nissan Versa head-on.
The 61-year-old woman driving the Nissan was pronounced dead on the scene. The 25-year-old man driving the GMC SUV was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center with injuries. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Support for Families after Tragic Head-On Accidents
A driver’s mistake can claim many victims. Not only the people hurt in other cars, but in tragic cases, a family can lose a loved one because of a momentary lapse in judgment by a careless motorist.
Those families can still be grieving when they’re forced to face ambulance fees, medical expenses, and funeral costs arising from the accident. The expenses and time involved in just getting a family member’s affairs in order can be physically and financially draining on close relatives. These hardships now may only be a small part of the tragedy when compared with the years ahead without the emotional support the victim would have provided each and every family member.
In these difficult cases, a family does have the opportunity to protect themselves with a wrongful death claim filed against the at-fault driver and his or her insurance company. This civil claim could be brought forth by a spouse, domestic partner, or a child of the deceased on behalf of the rest of the family. An attorney working on behalf of the family can also file this claim and work to collect evidence and documents and locate witnesses needed to build a solid case against the responsible driver.
Contact a Philadelphia Wrongful Death Attorney
If you and your family have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, contact a highly rated Philadelphia Wrongful Death Lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Unlike the huge firms with dozens of attorneys and many different attorneys handling different aspects of your case, Edith Pearce is personally involved with your family and their case. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another file.