Early morning car accident involving 4 cars places 2 people in critical condition
Motorists are required by Kansas law to stop and exchange information after an accident, and rightly so. However, as a recent accident in our area showed, doing so can put you in danger of further injuries.
Early in the morning of October 6th this year, as News Channel 4 reports, a large and complex car accident resulted in multiple serious injuries. It started ordinarily enough when a truck was rear-ended by a car. The two drivers, Robert Joseph and Nicholas Hitchcock, left their vehicles and stood off to the side of the road to exchange insurance information.
While they were outside their vehicles, a third vehicle crashed into the car, which then propelled the truck across the road. The truck then collided with a fourth vehicle travelling in the oncoming lane. Joseph and Hitchcock were both seriously injured and taken to the local hospital in critical condition. Two others were also injured.
Staying conscious of safety in the event of an accident.
If you are involved in a car accident, take these steps to prevent further accidents:
- Call the police right away. The investigating officer will put his or her lights on at the scene and divert traffic to keep you and the other people involved in the accident safe. Cooperate with the officer’s instructions in order to maintain safety at the scene.
- If possible, turn on your hazard lights. Even if your car isn’t drivable, your lights will most likely still work. Turn those lights on to show other motorists that there is a disabled vehicle.
- If possible, remove your car from the road. Once you have taken pictures of the collision and notified the police of the accident, you and the other driver should move your cars off of the road as much as possible, especially if they are blocking traffic. If your cars cannot be moved, make sure you inform the police so that they can immediately begin diverting traffic.
- When you and the other driver exchange information, do so away from the edge of the road. This is especially crucial if you are on a busy roadway. You want to put as much distance as possible between yourself and other cars driving by in the event that one of those cars collides with your car.
Car accident cases can be difficult enough to resolve when they only involve two people. The more people and vehicles are involved in an accident, the more complicated it can become. It may be harder to find fault in a case that involves so many different factors, especially if it’s difficult for those involved to figure out the chain of events. Multiple insurance companies may be involved, and liability for the injuries sustained may be hotly contested.
The dedicated car accident attorneys at Bretz & Young know how to ask tough questions and get the information our clients need to successfully resolve their cases. We investigate every aspect of an accident. We interview witnesses. We review police reports, medical records and anything else that can build a case for our clients. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact us today.
