Traffic signs, particularly those at intersections, are designed to control the flow of vehicles, pedestrians and others. When drivers obey these signs, they increase the odds of avoiding vehicle accidents. On the other hand, when those signs are ignored, or a driver obeys them but misinterprets or fails to see the traffic, crashes happen.
On a recent Sunday night at around 8:20 p.m., a 42-year-old man headed south on Ohio IR 75 exit ramp. When he came to a stop sign, he brought the vehicle to a stop and then entered the intersection. At the same time, a 53-year-old man and his 50-year-old passenger occupied a vehicle headed east on SR 103.
As the eastbound vehicle approached the intersection of the two roads, it encountered the southbound vehicle. The two collided. The southbound driver escaped injury, but the two occupants of the eastbound vehicle did not.
The man driving that vehicle survived with injuries, but his passenger’s injuries were too severe. She died at the scene. Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol continue to investigate the cause of this crash.
It is possible that the southbound driver misinterpreted the traffic flow or simply failed to see the other vehicle when moving into the intersection. This factor could play a critical role in proving that the negligence of another party led to the serious and fatal injuries suffered by the occupants of the eastbound vehicle. As is the case in other motor vehicle accidents, if negligence is proved to the court’s satisfaction, an award of damages allowable under state law could result.
