Anyone who has lived in Oregon or the Northwest for a period of time knows that our weather can be dangerous during the rainy winter season. This is especially the case when fog rolls in or icy conditions exist on local roadways. These factors have contributed to many crashes in our state and may have been a factor in one recent car accident.
According to early reports from Oregon officials, a three-vehicle car accident happened on a recent weekend evening. Road conditions at the time of the crash were said to be foggy and icy. The violence of the car accident led to the death of one man and injury to three other people.
It appears that a driver on Oregon Route 22 was traveling in the westbound direction when he crossed the centerline of the road and smashed into a van in the on-coming lane. The impact caused one of the vehicles to land in a ditch and the other to come to a stop in the road. After the first accident, a car apparently did not see the vehicle stopped in the lane and crashed into it.
The driver of the van was killed, although it’s unknown if the first or second impact killed him. The injured were from both accidents and were taken to local hospitals for medical care. There the injuries were said to range from critical to minor.
As police investigate, they may find that negligent actions of one individual led to the string of crashes. If this is the case, that driver may face liability under our state’s personal injury laws. This accident should send a message about the dangers of driving too fast and loose for conditions.
Source: Oregonlive.com, “Police identify those injured in three-vehicle crash on Oregon 22,” Deborah Bloom, Jan. 20, 2013
