Winter has finally arrived in Southern Illinois, and most motorists are doing their best to avoid collisions in icy and snowy conditions. However, not every driver lives up to the responsibility of exercising due caution when the weather becomes dangerous. When cold snow melts onto pavement, icy patches form, and drivers may have a difficult time seeing where danger lies. But that is precisely why motorists should choose to be more cautious when the weather is likely to produce snow and ice. Too often, a failure to take proper care on the roadway results in serious personal injury, leaving families in the wake of a catastrophe that may seem senseless in retrospect.
Tragically, just such an incident occurred recently during a blizzard-like burst of weather near Marine. Officers say two linked accidents actually occurred at the scene. According to police in Collinsville, a car crossed the center lane and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. Sadly, the driver of the car suffered fatal injuries. The driver of the truck, however, emerged uninjured.
The second accident occurred as a result of the first crash. In an effort to avoid the first collision, a pickup truck and an SUV collided head-on, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries to both drivers. They were reportedly transported to area hospitals for treatment.
While these accidents can likely be attributed to the extreme weather during which they occurred, drivers still must negotiate the roadways responsibly to avoid causing injury to themselves and others. When motorists fail to drive with due caution, it is frequently determined that they have behaved in a reckless or negligent manner. Determining such behavior is often the basis for personal injury claims, including wrongful death. With these issues in mind, residents in Southern Illinois will want to be on the lookout for reckless driving, as well as avoid endangering themselves and others on what are sure to be slick thoroughfares in these winter months.
Source: thetelegraph.com, “Snowy roads turn deadly,” Jan. 12, 2012