We have previously written that even if an auto accident has a primary cause, it can also be exacerbated by other factors. For instance, the severity of a Chicago car accident caused by a distracted driver could be made worse by a road that was either dangerously designed or poorly maintained.
Late last month, a young woman survived what could have easily been a fatal truck accident that caused her car to plummet off of a bridge in Maryland. In the wake of the crash, many are questioning whether the bridge itself is also unsafe and may have made the accident worse.
According to news reports, a 22-year-old woman was crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge when her vehicle was struck by a tractor trailer. The bridge connects Maryland’s Eastern Shore to the rest of the state.
The crash pushed her vehicle toward the edge of the bridge, where it teetered for a few moments. Finally, her car dropped 40 feet before plunging into the water below. Amazingly, the young woman remained clear-headed enough to free herself from the vehicle and swim to the surface. She was rescued and has suffered only minor injuries.
The accident is currently being investigated, and it’s possible that the truck driver involved could eventually face criminal charges or a personal injury lawsuit. However, the bridge itself has also gained some notoriety in recent years, and many are wondering if it also played a role in the crash.
In a 2010 article in Travel and Leisure magazine, the 4.3-mile-long bridge was highlighted as one of the world’s scariest. In response to this most recent accident, AAA Mid-Atlantic has asked for a federal investigation of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by the National Transportation Safety Board. Specifically, AAA wants the NTSB to determine if the bridge’s safety restraint system may have been inadequate.
While this particular accident occurred in Maryland, similar crashes in Chicago occur all too frequently. America’s transportation infrastructure is crumbling; and this often makes devastating auto accidents even worse.
If you or a loved one was injured in an auto accident, it’s important to remember that there may have been more than one contributing cause. An experienced personal injury attorney can examine the details of your case and help you determine who may have been at fault.
Source: Claims Journal, “Maryland Woman Who Survived Crash ‘Didn’t Want to Drown’,” July 24, 2013