A car crash involving four vehicles in Mesa, Arizona has resulted in the death of an 87-year-old man. Two others involved were hospitalized with serious injuries.
The collision took place around 1:45 PM on Sunday in the area of 2900 N. Recker Rd. It is being reported that an 85-year-old woman caused a head-on collision by driving her Lincoln SUV in the wrong direction, striking a Mazda van. The accident caused the van to flip over, while the SUV spun out and struck a Chevy Cavalier and a Jeep Cherokee.
Accident witnesses state that just prior to the accident the Lincoln SUV had failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of Recker and McDowell Roads.
The person that was killed was a passenger in the Lincoln SUV. The elderly SUV driver was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Two occupants in the Mazda van were also injured.
Mesa police officers state that it is not known why the driver went the wrong direction, and that their investigation is ongoing.
Unfortunately head-on collisions in Arizona are not uncommon. The Arizona Department of Transportation reports that there were 1,525 head-on collisions in 2011. In those accidents, 54 involved fatalities and 735 involved injuries. While head-on collisions represented only 1.8% of all Arizona accidents in 2011, at the same time they represented over 12% of fatal accidents. This statistic demonstrates the extreme danger of head-on collisions.
Beware of nighttime driving: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal head-on collisions and other collisions are three times more likely to occur during nighttime hours. Around 50% of vehicle occupant deaths across the United States occur at night, even though only about 25% of all driving is done after dark.
Someone hurt in a Mesa car crash could be entitled to obtain a financial recovery for his or her pain and suffering, medical expenses, injuries, lost income, and other damages. The family of an accident victim who died due to the negligent driving of another motorist may have a wrongful death claim to pursue. If you or a loved one has questions after being injured in a collision, we strongly advise you to contact an experienced auto accident attorney as soon as possible.
If you have been hurt in a head-on collision in the Phoenix area, we encourage you to reach out to the hard-working lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. Our dedicated Arizona auto accident attorneys are here to answer your questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we are ready to help you move forward with your personal injury claim. We have many years of experience fighting for the rights of those injured in accidents. Call us at (855) PHX-LAWYER for a free consultation.
More blogs:
Settlement reached in Phoenix rear-end auto accident case, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, January 28, 2013
State Law Fighting Aggression-Related Car Accidents in Arizona, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, January 25, 2013
Additional resources:
1 killed, 2 injured in four-vehicle collision in Mesa, by Jonathan Reed, azcentral.com
Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2011, Arizona Department of Transportation
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