Two fatal car accidents occurred over a Thanksgiving weekend in Connecticut that otherwise seemed slightly safer than in years past, with slightly fewer arrests for drunk driving. In all, police responded to 389 crashes on Connecticut highways last weekend. Only one fatality occurred over the holiday weekend in 2010. One accident this past weekend involved a head-on collision in East Hartford, and the other involved two motorcycles in Marlborough. Whether alcohol was involved in either accident is not known. Police are still investigating the causes of the two accidents, and have not released any specific information as to findings in either case.
Early in the morning of Saturday, November 26, 26 year-old Meridien resident Noel Lopez died after a collision on Route 15 in East Hartford. Lopez was reportedly driving the wrong way when his car hit another vehicle head-on. Lopez was taken to Hartford Hospital and later pronounced dead. The other driver is expected to survive, having suffered a broken leg in the crash. As of Saturday, a police investigation was underway.
Saturday afternoon, 46 year-old Portland resident Paul Hubbard died of head trauma sustained when his motorcycle collided with another motorcycle on Route 66 in Marlborough. Police reported that Hubbard hit the other motorcycle when its driver slowed down to allow another vehicle to make a turn. Police are reportedly also investigating this crash.
Holiday weekends frequently see an increase in traffic accidents and fatalities, with an increased number of vehicles on the roads, a higher level of stress among drivers, and a greater incidence of holiday-related alcohol consumption. In situations of heightened stress and dangerous driving conditions, questions of fault and liability, always a concern for personal injury attorneys, are especially difficult to resolve. Every driver owes a duty to every other driver to abide by traffic laws and operate their vehicles safely. Holiday weekends present a confounding opportunity for multiple breaches of these duties to coincide and cause accidents.
In the case of a driver on the wrong side of the road, factors contributing to the accident could include the driver's condition (fatigued, distracted, impaired by alcohol, and so forth), the conditions of the road (weather conditions, the presence or absence of safety barriers), and the condition of the vehicles themselves (problems with the design, manufacture, or maintenance of the vehicle that might have caused it to veer out of its lane). Motorcycle drivers in many ways face greater challenges than drivers of cars or trucks, with greater concern for road conditions and greater exposure to injury in case of an accident.
The tragic events of this past holiday weekend demonstrate the importance of advocating highway safety, and of understanding the risks and dangers presented during times when the likelihood of an accident increases. Some dangers, like weather conditions, are beyond our control, but drivers can educate themselves of the various risks and take steps to protect themselves and others on the road.
People injured due to the negligence or illegal actions of others have legal rights to compensation for their damages. To schedule a free and confidential consultation with a Connecticut automobile accident attorney, contact Paul Levin online or at (888) 560-7226.
More Blog Posts:
Connecticut Supreme Court Reinstates Guilty Verdict in Fatal 2009 Car Crash, Connecticut Injury Attorney Blog, November 10, 2011
Fatal Norwalk Connecticut Auto Accident Mars Labor Day Weekend, Connecticut Injury Attorney Blog, September 6, 2011
Wrongful Death - A To Do List, Connecticut Injury Attorney Blog, May 7, 2011
Photo credit: kevinrosseel from morguefile.com
