It seems like every single time you open the paper, there's another story of people being severely injured or killed in a car accident. Recently we saw a series of motor vehicle accidents in Utah, claiming the lives of five young minors. The passenger injuries and deaths occurred in spite of proper safety precautions having been in place in many of these incidents, such as the use of children's seats and safety belts.
Two of the children most recently killed were identified as cousins, only two years old and seven months, respectively.
The two children were riding in a Volkswagen Jetta; the seven-month-old was known to have been properly restrained. The driver, a 26-year-old woman, and two female passengers aged 29 and 48, were taken in with injuries, having worn their seat belts at the time of the accident.
The impact occurred when the Volkswagen was hit from behind by a Toyota Tacoma truck. According to Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Johnson, the Volkswagen had been slowing for a vehicle that was experiencing trouble, only to hit a barrier before being rear ended by the Tacoma.
Other recent car accident deaths in the same area include a 12-year-old girl from Kingman, Arizona, who was hit by a truck while riding her bicycle. This death was not a result of careless cycling or bad road conditions, but of the truck driver having "blacked out" while driving.
If these tragic cases prove anything, it is that there is no way to guarantee your safety against auto accidents. However, if you or your loved one is injured, or even killed, in a car accident in Utah, you may have multiple avenues to recovering damages. Speak with an experienced Utah car accident attorney and he or she should be able to advise you on your options for holding the responsible party accountable for their actions.
