Two young women were killed in a fatal car accident along Oregon’s Highway 47. This fatal accident took place in Forest Grove and the two victims were students at Pacific University. A witness account of the fatal car accident who attempted to render aid to them verifies that the young women, ages 18 and 19, were dead upon impact.
It appears that the girls had just pulled out onto a stretch of Highway 47, directly in the path of a large truck. The truck was unable to stop or brake to avoid a serious impact. While the truck driver did not suffer from any injuries, it is apparent that the impact was severe, fast and deadly.
Several people have stated that many people have died or been injured at the intersection in the last several years. Over a period of five years, there were 27 crashes and 37 people suffered injuries in these accidents. All of them took place in the same spot along Oregon’s Highway 47. To curtail the amount of accidents occurring in this spot, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) added street lights to help drivers see in the evening and turn lanes. Some people claim that these are not enough and that a red light should be placed there.
It is possible that ODOT could be held liable for failing to provide safe roads for residents. The families of the deceased girls could explore the option to seek compensation through a wrongful death claim if liability for the fatal car accident is indeed placed on ODOT. The amount of accidents that have occurred on that stretch could indicate that there are issues with the road or design, endangering drivers.
Source: kgw.com, “Pacific U students killed in crash at dangerous Hwy 47 intersection”, , April 7, 2014