Accidents that occur on the highway can be very dangerous. This is especially true when drivers are traveling at high speeds. Overall, such car accidents can have tragic consequences as they are often the cause of fatalities and serious injury.
In fact, recently in Chicago there was a deadly accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway. A car was pulled over on the side of the highway when it was struck by another vehicle. One of the people in the stopped car was killed. The other person in the parked car was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police are unsure as to why the car was stopped on the side of the highway. Police also say that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
Drivers must use caution when driving on the highway and at high rates of speed. When driving at high speeds, drivers will need more time to stop. The faster a car is going, the longer it takes to stop. This means that drivers on the highway must take care not to follow too closely.
Drivers who face emergency situations on the highway and are forced to pull over must also take precautions. When parked on the side of the road, drivers must be aware that they are placing themselves in a dangerous situation. The other drivers on the road may have difficulty seeing cars on the side of the road. Other drivers may also have difficulty getting out of the way for the stopped cars.
Highway driving can present challenging situations, and therefore drivers much stay alert to their surroundings and exercise appropriate caution under the circumstances. Drivers who fail to do so and cause an accident may be held liable for their negligence through a personal injury lawsuit, or a wrongful death lawsuit in the event of a fatality.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “State police: 1 dead, 2 hospitalized after Dan Ryan crash,” Feb. 3, 2013
