A night out at a favorite local restaurant is a welcome treat for many Chicago families. Parents and children can share stories and tell each other about their days. But this happy scene turned tragic for one Chicago area family as they were driving home from dinner this past Sunday. They were involved in a terrible car accident that left three of the car’s four occupants dead and the fourth injured.
Two parents and their daughters had just finished eating at an Olive Garden restaurant and were returning to their house less than two miles away. According to police reports, the couple’s adult daughter was driving the car southbound and was in the process of making a left hand turn to go east when a northbound street sweeper collided with their car.
The violence of the impact with the much heavier vehicle sent the family’s car careening into a nearby truck. The car’s frame was severely mangled, and emergency responders had to cut it open in order to remove the parents and their daughters from the cabin. Two of the family members were pronounced dead at the accident, while a third died while being transported for medical treatment. Only the driver survived.
Police officers have issued a ticket to the driver of the street sweeper for failing to stop at a red light. Drivers are required to operate their vehicles in a reasonable and prudent manner. Unfortunately, some drivers fail to observe that standard of care, but the law gives accident victims the right to seek compensation for their injuries.
Source: MyFOXChicago.com, “3 Family Members Killed in Orland Park Crash,” Joanie Lum, April 16, 2012.