There have been many examples in previous posts of different ways that motor vehicle accidents occur. Sometimes it is simply a negligent driver who isn’t watching the road or is distracted by their cell phone. Other times an animal can jump out into the road. A driver who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also be the catalyst of a car accident.
In some instances, like the car accident that occurred earlier this week on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a stationary vehicle can be the original trigger in a crash. A woman had been driving through a construction zone on early Monday morning. A semi truck had stopped for some reason on the side of the road; the woman hit the back of the truck.
After hitting the semi truck, the woman’s vehicle slid across the Turnpike and crashed into another car. The second car that was struck then crashed into the concrete median. All three vehicles sustained damage as a result of the accident.
Though the article does not provide any information regarding the events that transpired after the crash, it does state that the woman was brought to a nearby hospital, her condition unknown. The driver of the second car was also reportedly hurt, but the extent of her injuries is also unknown.
There are several questions that remain unanswered at this point. First, why was the semi truck stopped at the side of the road? Was it there because of the construction? Also, at what speed was the woman traveling when she hit the back of the semi truck? Who is liable for the damages that resulted? Was it the semi truck driver or the woman?
Though these questions are currently unanswered, the question of liability will likely surface. The woman and the driver of the other vehicle will both have medical bills and car repairs to worry about.
Source: Beaver County Times online, “Butler County woman injured in Turnpike crash,” Megan J. Miller, 24 January 2011