A head-on collision caused by a wrong way driver on the Tappan Zee Bridge killed one passenger and injured four others. This recent accident was just one of several involving a wrong way driver on this bridge.
The accident happened a little before 9 p.m. on Tuesday. At the time, the bridge — which takes the New York State Thruway over the Hudson River — was rather busy. This means there were many onlookers who watched the entire crash unfold.
According to police, a 69-year-old driver was behind the wheel of an SUV. This SUV was seen going south in the northbound lane before crashing into a Nissan.
The driver of that Nissan was seriously injured and a passenger in the car was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the SUV and a passenger in his vehicle were also taken to hospitals.
This crash also caused a chain reaction as three other vehicles also crashed while trying to avoid the accident.
At this point no citations or arrests have been made. The accident is still under investigation.
According to an article in The New York Times, this recent fatal accident is just one of several over the last several years. In one case, a Long Island woman going the wrong way on the Tappan Zee Bridge caused a crash. Seven people ended up dying in that accident.
What this recent accident goes to show is the importance of following traffic laws, as all it takes is one driver to make a mistake for the results to be fatal and life-changing to others.
Source: The New York Times, “Wrong-Way Crash on Tappan Zee Bridge Kills One,” Marc Santora, July 24, 2013