Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than one in every 10 fatal accidents involves a head-on collision scenario, taking thousands of lives each year. While head-on crashes occur for a variety of reasons — from speeding to impaired driving to unsafe passing — almost all have one thing in common: a driver who engaged in one or more dangerous actions that resulted in their vehicle ending up going the wrong way into oncoming traffic. If you have experienced serious harm — or lost a loved one — because a driver drove negligently and caused a head-on crash, you likely will need to take multiple actions to obtain a recovery. These may include insurance claims, civil lawsuits, and more. To get the recovery you and your family need, you should take the time to consult and retain an experienced Oregon auto accident lawyer.
A rural stretch of Highway 26 in Clatsop County was the scene of one of these severe accidents in the morning hours of April 29. According to Oregonlive.com, police responded shortly after sunrise to find a head-on collision between two Ford F-350 pickup trucks.
According to the report, the driver of the westbound truck was trying to pass “multiple commercial vehicles” when he crashed into an eastbound pickup. The impact threw the first truck into one of the big rigs.
The collision’s toll was heavy: although the driver of the semi escaped unharmed, and the driver of the eastbound truck suffered only minor harm, the driver of the westbound truck died, and a nine-year-old passenger was injured.
According to the police, the preliminary investigation appeared to point to “speed and unsafe passing” as the chief causes of the wreck.
The stretch of Highway 26, also known as Sunset Highway, where the crash took place, is roughly 17 miles east of Highway 101 and only about 25-30 minutes from coastal destinations like Painted Rock Beach and Cannon Beach.
Dangerous Passing Moves and Unsafe Speed
The routes to these beautiful destinations are too often home to terrible head-on accidents. Head-on collisions occur for a variety of reasons. As the Clatsop County crash illustrates, unsafe passing on two-lane highways is one reason. Routes like Highway 26 carry a variety of vehicles, from passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs to large commercial, industrial, or agricultural vehicles. Too many times, drivers of passenger vehicles become impatient to overtake slow-moving commercial trucks and continue on their way, even when the road offers only limited sight lines… or perhaps even is marked with double-yellow lines or “no passing” signs. These aggressive passing maneuvers too often leave the passing driver, especially when overtaking a large truck or trailer, with insufficient time and space to return safely to their side of the road.
Still others are the result of speed. Roads like Highway 26 often have sharp turns. Failing to obey the posted speed limits can have disastrous consequences, as going too fast for the road’s curves may cause a driver to lose control and ultimately enter the oncoming lane of traffic.
Weather, Intoxicants, Distractions, and Fatigue
Weather is another reason for these collisions… and one often tied to speed. Even if a driver is traveling at or below the posted speed limit, that driver may be going too fast for the conditions if snow, rain, fog, or ice are present. Remember that the law imposes not only an obligation on drivers to obey posted speed limits but also to limit their speed to a rate that allows them to control their vehicle fully and operate it safely at all times. For example, when black ice is present, the maximum safe speed of a rural road may be something far below the 55-mph rate posted on the road’s speed limit signs.
Drivers may also place themselves (and everyone on the road) at risk of a head-on crash by driving while impaired, driving while distracted, or driving while drowsy. All of these factors may lead a driver to stray outside their lane of travel and enter an oncoming lane of traffic, potentially causing a head-on collision.
As noted above, recovering financially from any serious auto accident involves many actions. One of the first steps should be to retain knowledgeable legal counsel who can guide you through the process. The skilled Oregon auto accident attorneys at Kaplan Law LLC have the experience needed to ensure you get justice and hold those responsible for your crash accountable for their actions. To learn more, call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
