Missouri police are often called to intersections to investigate car accidents. At approximately 4:30 p.m., on a recent Saturday, officers arrived at a tragic scene. Moments earlier, an SUV struck a vehicle that was entering the roadway.
The driver of the SUV did not suffer any injuries. However, the driver of the other vehicle, a 79-year-old man, suffered injuries, though they were not reported to be life-threatening. Sadly, a female passenger in his vehicle was killed.
Collisions at intersections are often due to driver negligence
When vehicles collide where one section of a roadway merges with another, it is often later determined to have been caused by driver negligence. If a driver is distracted at the wheel, for instance, he or she may not realize a traffic light has turned red and might fail to stop. Intoxication is another common factor in many collisions that take place at merger points along highways or downtown areas. If a driver’s negligence is the proximate cause of injuries resulting from the accident, claims for personal injuries may follow.
Missouri investigators did not state exactly what or who may have caused the recent collision, though a driver entering a roadway typically must cede the right of way to vehicles already on the road. In cases where a fatality has occurred, an immediate family member of a decedent may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim if there is evidence that another person’s negligence was a direct cause of death. Relying on an experienced injury law attorney can help make such litigation less stressful.
