A New York City car accident law firm can provide compensation after a wrong way accident occurs and leaves you injured. Wrong way crashes are often among the most serious of all collisions that occur on the roads because these types of accidents often result in high-speed head on crashes. Just recently, for example, Syracuse.com reported on a serious wrong-way accident that occurred on the New York State thruway.
Wrong-Way Accident Injures Two Individuals
According to Syracuse.com, two people sustained injuries after a wrong-way driver caused a head-on collision. A 25-year-old man got onto the New York State thruway going in the wrong direction and hit another vehicle. The 25-year-old was traveling east in a westbound lane on the thruway and a motorist called the police to report the car. Shortly after the call came in alerting the police about the wrong-way driver, a head-on crash occurred. The incident happened shortly after 12:07 AM.
The 25-year-old driver struck a vehicle while traveling on the thruway between Interstate 481 and Carrier Circle. Police arrested the driver who had been traveling in the wrong direction, who was not injured by the collision.
According to police responding to the crash scene, the driver did not appear to be impaired by drugs or alcohol. He was charged with reckless endangerment for traveling in the wrong direction on the highway. Reckless endangerment is a misdemeanor charge. The driver was also charged with multiple vehicle and traffic safety violations.
The victims injured in the collision included two people who were riding in the car that the 25-year-old driver hit head-on. The police indicated that their injuries initially appeared mild at the accident scene, but the victims were receiving treatment in order to determine the full extent of damage suffered.
If their injuries are in fact minor, they are among the lucky ones as most head-on crashes tend to cause serious harm often including brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or death. When cars hit head on, the force and magnitude of the impact is magnified by the direct collision, so the body must absorb more impact and the chances of serious damage are greater.
Head-on collisions like this one are the most likely result of drivers traveling the wrong way, especially when wrong way accidents occur on freeways and thruways. Drivers have nowhere to go to escape a motorist traveling in the wrong direction and most motorists don’t expect someone to be going in the opposite direction of traffic, so it can be hard to know how to respond in the split second when the car comes into view before the collision occurs.
This accident is also an unusual one because the police did not believe the driver was impaired. Many wrong way accidents happen due to drunk drivers, although driver fatigue and distraction are also common causes of wrong way collisions as well.
If you or someone you love is hurt or killed in a wrong way accident, it is important to contact a New York City car accident law firm for help as soon as possible.
