As if car crashes were not dangerous enough, the aftermath of a crash can further present danger to other motorists. Debris could be left on the road, or the crash could back up traffic, making it easy for drivers who are not paying attention to crash into stopped or slowed motorists. Unfortunately, this exact situation recently occurred in Ohio when truck accidents claimed the life of a retired Ohio State University professor and department head.
The woman was driving on I-71 on her way home from an exhibit in Cincinnati. There was a crash on the highway earlier that day, and it backed up traffic to the point where motorists had to slow down. However, a man driving a tractor-trailer did not slow his vehicle, causing him to rear-end the professor’s SUV.
The impact also caused the semi to collide with another 18-wheeler, and afterward, the semi truck hit a guardrail and flipped over. Neither tractor-trailer driver was injured, but the chairwoman was pronounced dead at the scene. The semi truck driver deemed responsible for causing the accidents was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide.
It is always heartbreaking to hear that someone lost their life due to the apparent negligence of another, especially when it appears that the accident could have been completely avoided. The deceased professor’s family may choose to file a wrongful death suit with regard to the fatal truck accidents. Even though the man faces Ohio criminal charges, a successful civil suit would not only compensate the family for the pain and suffering they have endured, but also it may help ease their minds in knowing that the person believed responsible has been held fully accountable.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Retired Ohio State leader was victim of I-71 crash“, Jim Woods, June 5, 2014