Here in Ohio, pedestrians and bicycle riders could easily become the victims of a crash. However, other non-motorized vehicles could end up involved in vehicle accidents as well — horse-drawn buggies. People may forget about the Amish population here in the state who also use the roadways and who need the attention of other drivers in order to avoid the worst happening.
It was a Sunday night at about 7:30 p.m. when a 47-year-old driver failed to pay proper attention to the roadway and slammed into a horse-drawn buggy headed east on U.S. Route 224. The vehicle he was driving struck the back of the buggy. All seven people in it were thrown out. Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol suspect the driver of the SUV of being impaired at the time of the crash.
All seven of the buggy’s occupants suffered injuries. However, two of the five children’s injuries were severe enough that they needed to be airlifted from the scene. The children’s father was first transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, but was then flown to another hospital due to the severity of his injuries. The driver of the SUV did not suffer any injuries, but could face criminal charges in connection with the crash.
Whether the members of the Amish family exercise their rights under Ohio law to file personal injury claims against the SUV driver, they do have that right. Anyone involved in an accident in which the negligence of another party causes or contributes to the injuries suffered may do the same. If the evidence proves that the driver’s negligence led to the crash, damages seen in other vehicle accidents could be awarded.
