A tragic central Oregon car crash has left a teen driver dead and injured four others according to reports in The Oregonian.
The crash took place on US route 26 near Madras, Oregon. According to the newspaper, a 17-year old driver traveling toward the east “drifted off the north shoulder of the road, according to state police. The 17-year-old driver then overcorrected the car and it crossed into the westbound lane where it collided with a westbound 2006 Chrysler van.”
The teen driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Her passenger, also a 17-year-old girl, was transported to a hospital in Madras with what the paper describes as serious injuries. The driver of the van, a 38-year-old Portland man, and his two children all suffered what were described as minor injuries in the Oregon car crash and were released after treatment at the area hospital.
Many questions remain unanswered regarding this Oregon child injury car accident. Taking a broad view, however, we can all agree that any accident involving young drivers is especially tragic because of all the efforts we adults make to teach our children the best way to conduct themselves behind the wheel.
As an Oregon personal injury attorney with expertise in accidents involving injuries to children it is particularly regrettable to see accidents like this which result in deaths and injuries to young people on all sides of a crash. Careful education for young drivers will never prevent every accident, but it remains an essential part of the efforts we must take to keep our children safe.
The Oregonian: Fatal crash on Highway 26 kills 17-year-old girl, injures 4 others
The Oregonian: Police ID 17-year-old Bend girl killed in head-on US-26 crash