Serious Injury Crash In McCracken County

Four people were hurt, and another one killed, when a driver ignored a red light, leading to a serious vehicle collision.

The wreck happened near the intersection of U.S. Highway 60 (Future City Road) and Metropolis Lake Road in West Paducah. According to the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, a 90-year-old Barlow resident, was distracted by the late afternoon sun’s glare and did not stop for a traffic signal. He then turned directly into the path of an oncoming car, containing the 51-year-old Lvictim, and three children. All five people were rushed to a nearby hospital with various injuries; where the victim was later pronounced dead.

Because of the extreme force of the wreck, both vehicles were almost completely destroyed.

Duty in Vehicle Collision Cases

At certain angles, under certain conditions, and at certain times of day, the rising or setting sun makes it almost impossible for drivers to see. According to the neighbour principle, which is probably still one of the best articulations of the duty of reasonable care, drivers must “take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbor.”

It is quite inconvenient to avoid driving at certain times of the day. But if drivers set off around sunset or sunrise when the weather is clear even though they know that the sun may impair their visibility and trigger a vehicle collision, they have violated the duty of care. The same thing applies to driving at night if drivers know that their vision is impaired or driving in unfamiliar areas if they know their reactions are slower than they were before.

Breach in Vehicle Collision Cases

A low-hanging sun causes visual distraction, because it forces drivers to take their eyes off the road. Altogether, distracted driving vehicle collisions kill about 5,000 people a year, and typically, drivers are distracted manually (taking a hand off the wheel) and/or cognitively (taking their minds off driving) in addition to visually. Hand-held cellphones get many of the headlines because they combine all three types of distraction. In fact, according to the most recent research, drivers are still distracted for almost thirty seconds after they put their devices down.

Besides sunlight and cellphones, many other things distract drivers, such as eating while driving and talking with passengers. Other common breaches of duty include:

• Fatigue,
• Speed, and
• Impairment by alcohol and/or drugs.

Victims who suffer serious injuries in vehicle collisions are entitled to compensation for their economic damages, such as medical bills, and their noneconomic damages, such as loss of consortium (contribution to household affairs and companionship).

For prompt assistance with a vehicle collision case, contact the Bowling Green office of Attorney Gary S. Logsdon today, because you have a limited amount of time to act.