A Wilmington auto accident can occur in the flash of a second. In the age of smart phones and twitter accounts, the potential for distraction while driving has increased. Even changing a radio station or glancing to check gauges on the dashboard can be enough to lose sight of what is happening on the roadway. Particular care and attention is necessary for safe driving and to avoid a serious car accident resulting in injury. And yet, it happens all too frequently.
A little before 9:30 a.m. on August 3, New Castle County police were summoned to a head-on car crash on Upper Pike Creek Road. The front ends of each car received severe damage. Investigative efforts revealed a 22-year-old Wilmington woman was driving southbound when she took her attention off the roadway for a moment. In that time, her car crossed over the double yellow lines. Before she could correct her error, her black Honda civic collided with a Hyundai Sonata driven by a 61-year-old man, also from Wilmington. Both drivers were treated at the scene and then taken to Christiana Hospital.
Fortunately, on this occasion, there were not any life-threatening injuries. The woman suffered a broken leg, while the Hyundai driver had minor injuries. Both were treated and released from the hospital.
Police issued tickets to the 22-year-old female driver, charging her with inattentive driving and driving to the left of the center line. While there were no serious injuries this time, the news story offers an opportunity for us all to reflect on the dangers of driving and the necessity to pay attention at every moment.
Others involved in accidents like this one are not as fortunate. A simple miscalculation or careless moment can have dire consequences. Many fatal accidents stem from a brief irresponsible act. The law, however, entitles those injured by the negligence of others to recover monetary damages for their injuries, property and wage loss. A Wilmington attorney with a background in handling personal injury claims from a serious car accident may offer some direction and encouragement to those seeking to pursue their legal rights.
Source: The Newark Post, “Two injured in morning crash,” Aug. 3, 2011
