Following the rules of the road can save lives. One of the most important rules for motorists is to maintain one’s lane. Not adhering to this law can be quite dangerous and can result in a serious accident. Unfortunately, this is apparently what happened during a recent car accident in Illinois.
The incident happened at approximately 4:45 p.m. on a day in early October when a 16-year-old driver was heading southbound on Illinois Route 157. At the time, the young motorist had a passenger in his car who was also 16. Somehow, the driver lost control of his car and crossed over the centerline into the other lane. The car ended up crashing into an oncoming SUV that was traveling in the other lane.
Shortly afterwards, authorities arrived on the scene of the accident to assist and investigate the scene. The SUV was operated by a 47-year-old woman who suffered injuries and was taken to the local hospital. The younger motorist was also taken to a local medical facility to treat his injuries. Unfortunately, his passenger died at the scene of the crash and was pronounced dead by authorities.
The deceased teenager’s family retains the legal right to file a lawsuit for wrongful death in an Illinois civil courtroom. If they are successful, the family of the decedent may be able to recover monetary damages for the loss. Also, the injured SUV driver may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages caused in the car accident. These civil claims would likely name the teenage driver as a defendant, along with any other individual that had an ownership interest in the vehicle he drove.
Source: fox2now.com, “Teen killed in Edwardsville car crash, two others injured“, , Oct. 3, 2014