Many Indiana parents become wary when their teenagers begin driving. Due to their inexperience behind the wheel, teens tend to be more at risk for causing car accidents. One of the main factors in these crashes is often speed.
Officials in Indiana say that may be the cause of an accident that took place at approximately 7:51 p.m. on a recent Thursday involving an eastbound pickup truck and a southbound tractor-trailer. Statements from witnesses indicate that the pickup truck was speeding as it approached the intersection where the crash occurred. Witnesses go on to say that, when the pickup reached the intersection, it failed to stop and ended up directly in the path of the semi-truck.
The impact to the driver’s side of the pickup sent it rolling onto the property of a church in the area. The injuries suffered by the 17-year-old driver necessitated the use of a helicopter to get him to the hospital where — at last report — he was considered to be in serious condition. His 18-year-old passenger did not survive the crash. The driver of the tractor-trailer was reportedly uninjured.
An accident reconstruction team with the Indiana State Police was called in to assist local authorities in the investigation. It is not yet known whether charges, if any, will be filed against the young driver. In the meantime, the family of the deceased victim retains the right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with the loss of their loved one. If the family prevails in such a claim, the court may award them damages commonly seen in litigation involving car accidents.
Source: wthr.com, “Crawfordsville Teen Killed in Two Vehicle Accident“, Oct. 10, 2014