A driver in black pick-up slammed into a passenger car which then hit a semi-truck causing it to flip over. Fortunately, the drivers of the semi-truck and the passenger car were only slightly injured and were treated at the scene and then released.
The driver of the pickup truck is facing charges for felony DUI and hit and run. According to the Washington State Patrol, the primary cause of the accident was driving under the influence and speed.
Chain Reaction Crashes Often Hard to Prevent.
When an accident occurs on a busy highway or freeway, the risk of further collisions is great. Many times one or both of the original vehicles hit others setting off a chain reaction of collisions. This can take a simple, maybe even low-damage, collision and make it more serious.
The subsequent drivers often don’t have time to react to take defensive measures before they are hit. This is compounded by the number of lanes, speed of the vehicles and the amount of traffic at the time of the accident.
Making Matters Worse
When any of the drivers, especially the original at-fault driver, is impaired, this creates and even greater risk as the reaction time and ability to mitigate the damage by the impaired driver is greatly reduced. Thus the injuries tend to be greater
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, being impaired greatly increases risk of serious injury or death. Impaired driving accounts for almost one third of all motor vehicle fatalities each year in the United States. This creates a much-increased risk for drunk drivers putting those around them in danger of injuries from accidents including chain-reaction accidents.
Who’s at Fault?
The law does not declare someone an at-fault driver just because he or she is impaired. However, being impaired makes it more likely. When a chain-reaction crash occurs, it can be a complicated matter as to who is ultimately liable for the damages and injures of those involved. So what do you do if you are involved in an accident by chain-reaction, impairment or both?
Do I need and Attorney?
You need to get an attorney that specializes in DUI and multi-driver cases to make sure the highly-paid defense lawyers and the insurance companies treat you fairly. Crary, Clark, Domanico, & Chuang, P.S., has experienced attorneys trained in the law dealing with drunk driving and personal injury. They can go toe-to-toe with the insurance companies and their lawyers to get you fair compensation for your injuries. Call them at (509) 926 4900, or send them a message by clicking here.
