When driving on Pittsburgh roads, drivers are required to exercise care and vigilance to avoid the possibility of a car accident. When someone makes a careless or negligent error, tragic consequences can result. A recent car accident ended in tragedy when a young woman traveling at 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 15, struck another car while attempting to get off of the highway after driving the wrong way on the Grant Street exit.
The 21-year-old driver who caused the accident was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital. However, the 19-year-old driver she struck also suffered major injuries and was also rushed to the hospital, where further word on her medical condition was not immediately available. Three other people were injured in the accident but no word was initially available on the extent of their injuries or whether they required hospitalization.
The road the accident occurred on is not known for many wrong-way crashes. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation noted that there had been no crashes of that kind for at least five years. Wrong-way warning signs were said to be prevalent on the road, and a driver on the ramp would first have to drive around a median strip lined with several trees before seeing the signs. Pittsburgh police also reported the presence of an alcohol odor at the scene. While they did not confirm that alcohol was a factor in this car accident, it is a common practice for police to request a toxicology screen in car accident cases like this.
The young woman who was hospitalized will likely incur significant medical bills and related expenses as a result of this car accident. She, as well as any other seriously injured person involved in the accident, may have the right to pursue a claim to recover monetary damages from any party whose negligence is determined to have caused or contributed to the car accident. Careful documentation of all evidence and expenses related to the crash may help as the viability of instituting a claim is assessed under Pennsylvania law.
Source: WTAE Pittsburgh, “Wrong-Way Parkway Crash Kills Young Woman, Injures 4,” April 15, 2012