Interstate driving requires caution, precision, appropriate speed and good judgment. Of course, these are not always present on Northern Virginia’s roadways, and the results can be devastating. Recently on I-95, a fatal commercial trucking accident took the lives of both the driver and the passenger in a Ford Focus.
On the morning of Feb. 6, the northbound lanes of I-95, in Prince William County, Virginia, were home to a frightening scene. According to police reports, a Ford Focus was in the left lane when, somehow, the driver lost control of the car. The Focus veered into the center lane, and a semi-truck, traveling in that lane, hit the Focus. When the truck hit the smaller car, both vehicles went careening off to the left and hit a third vehicle, a Honda Accord in the far left lane of traffic.
Fortunately, the Honda’s driver was not seriously hurt, but the same could not be said for the occupants of the Ford Focus. Despite their seat belt usage, both driver and passenger died at the scene. The truck driver was also uninjured and had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. An accident reconstruction unit is assisting authorities in learning more about the crash.
Following any fatal incident, a thorough investigation is invaluable when trying to determine what went wrong and why. A negligent driver, who causes the wrongful death of another, including a passenger in that driver’s vehicle, can be held accountable in civil court under certain conditions. Nonetheless, the legal issues grow much more complicated, if a negligent driver has also perished in a fatal crash. For compensation for medical expenses or mental pain and suffering, victims’ estates are aided by an experienced wrongful death attorney’s knowledge of the law.
Source: Potomac Local News, “2 killed on I-95 after driver loses control of Ford Focus,” Feb. 6, 2014
