Wrong-way crashes can be among the most injurious and devastating of all accidents. Wrong-way drivers often cause head-on collisions, which generate significant force – and can therefore cause significant injuries. Victims of wrong-way collision injuries have important legal rights. With the legal advice of a Wichita car accident attorney, accident victims will be better able to access the compensation to which they are legally entitled.
A wrong-way crash that devastated a Sabetha family
The community of Sabetha, Kansas learned just how tragic the consequences of wrong-way drivers can be. The Wichita Eagle reports that the Ukele family was driving home from the state football championship, where they had watched two Ukele brothers help bring the Sabetha High School football team a state championship title over Marysville. The boys’ parents, younger sister, and uncle were driving home from the championship game when a wrong-way driver attempted to pass a vehicle in the opposite lane. Their mother, who was driving, swerved to avoid a head-on collision. She was killed in the ensuing accident, along with the boys’ younger sister and uncle. Their father was in stable condition after having multiple surgeries.
This horrible accident demonstrates how dangerous wrong-way drivers can be, even when they do not hit another vehicle directly. The unpredictable actions of a wrong-way driver can cause other road users to act unpredictably, as well. This is particularly dangerous when ice or snow makes the roads even more slippery, or when nighttime driving or weather conditions decrease visibility.
Other conditions which can increase the likelihood of Wrong-way driving
Wrong-way driving can be attributed to dangerous driving behavior, such as not paying attention to road signs or driving while impaired. This is what happened in one fatal accident on the Kansas Turnpike. According to The Wichita Eagle, four people were killed when an SUV traveled northbound in the southbound lanes of traffic. Its driver was found to have a blood alcohol level of .22. This is nearly three times the legal limit set forth by Section 8-1567 of the Kansas Statutes.
In another wrong-way crash in Wichita, an 81-year-old driver became caught in the wrong lanes of traffic on an exit of Interstate 135. KAKE reports that another car was unable to avoid a head-on collision with the wrong-way driver. Both drivers were taken to a nearby medical center for treatment. Senior drivers have additional medical and vision requirements in order to obtain a driver’s license, and these are explained by the Kansas Department of Revenue. While many senior drivers are perfectly capable of safe driving, it is important to understand the physical changes of age which can affect driving abilities, potentially leading to wrong-way driving.
These and many other causes contribute to wrong-way accidents in the Wichita area. It is important to determine the legal cause of a wrong-way accident in order to determine who was legally negligent and thus obligated to compensate victims for their injuries. A Wichita car accident attorney can help you determine all potential contributing factors to a wrong-way accident.
