The interstates that run through Ohio carry a lot of traffic each day. With that many vehicles in the same place, it is no wonder that those roads also become the scene of numerous serious and fatal vehicle accidents. The drivers causing these accidents may fall into one or more of three common categories — drowsy, impaired or distracted.
An otherwise ordinary Friday afternoon on southbound Interstate 280 became the scene of a recent disaster. The crash involved six passenger vehicles and two big rigs. One of the big rigs slammed into the back of one of the passenger vehicles, which started the chain reaction accident.
By the time all was said and done, one vehicle was in flames, two people in that vehicle died and four others from other vehicles suffered severe enough injuries that they were transported to a hospital in the area. Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol say that the whole catastrophe could have been avoided if the driver of the big rig had paid attention to the fact that the traffic ahead had slowed. Witnesses say they only heard squealing tires and saw a wide debris field after it was all over.
So far, officials have not announced that any criminal charges will result from the investigation. Regardless, the families of the deceased victims and the injured victims may pursue restitution for the damages sustained in connection with this crash. If the evidence presented to an Ohio civil court proves negligence led to the injuries suffered, fatal or otherwise, by the victims, the parties could receive awards of damages seen in other vehicle accidents that occur on the state’s interstates.