Most news reports about car accidents that our readers see focus on wrecks in which a negligent, drunk or distracted driver slams into another vehicle, leading to injury or death for the occupants of the other vehicle. But what if a negligent driver causes an accident that leads to injury or death to the passengers within his own vehicle?
According to recent reports, that seems to be what happened in a car accident that occurred in San Diego on January 10. Reports indicate that a driver in an Acura was speeding at the time of the car crash, in which the Acura was driven into an intersection, running a red light in the process, and slammed into a minivan. But that wasn’t the worst of it. After hitting the minivan, the Acura then reportedly slammed into a traffic light pole, which ripped the car in half.
Reports indicate that there were at least five people in the Acura at the time of the car collision. Three were reportedly ejected from the vehicle, and all three of them were reported to have died after they were transported for medical care. It appears that one other person was declared dead on the scene, and another suffered serious injury. There were no immediate reports as to whether or not the driver of the Acura was among the dead or wounded.
The families of the passengers who died in this crash may be able to pursue compensation from the driver in a civil lawsuit. The initial reports indicate that the driver made at least two critically important mistakes: speeding and running a red light. And, the police officers who were conducting the accident investigation did not rule out the possibility of alcohol or drug use as a contributing factor. Succeeding on such a claim could bring surviving families members much needed compensation to help cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering
Source: CBS 8, “Four people killed in crash after car runs red light,” Heather Hope, Jan. 10, 2016
