With the substantial increase in size and weight of most commercial vehicles, drivers of tractor-trailers must use caution when approaching an intersection to prevent a potential catastrophe. Car accidents that take place under similar circumstances run the unfortunate risk of causing serious harm to those involved, and in some cases, these incidents may even prove fatal. Two individuals have died during a recent collision involving a tractor-trailer in Washington.
The accident reportedly took place on a recent Wednesday when for reasons that remain under investigation, the driver of a tractor-trailer apparently ran through a red light. Upon entering the intersection, the semi suddenly collided with another vehicle. The driver and a passenger in the other vehicle were transported to a hospital for medical attention, but they were pronounced dead later that day.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was also taken to a medical facility for treatment, but his or her condition remains unclear. While an investigation into the incident is ongoing, law enforcement agents are reportedly uncertain what might have caused the driver to run the red light. Unfortunately, it may take little more than a moment of distraction to cause a similar incident, and the consequences of such negligence can be devastating.
Car accidents involving commercial vehicles can be dangerous, and families who lose someone close under similar circumstances may find themselves in search of restitution. Since the civil justice system can be complex, a person in Washington could choose to retain the services of an experienced attorney for guidance in the process. An attorney can examine the incident thoroughly and assist a client in pursuing the compensation deserved through a wrongful death claim against the party deemed responsible.