A crash involving a car and truck took place in Chatham County on Oct. 7. The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the accident that happened north of Sanford on N.C. Highway 87/U.S. Highway 15-501.
The collision at the Deep River Bridge occurred when a Chevy pickup truck traveled north while a Ford passenger vehicle headed south. The Chevy hit the Ford head-on when attempting to pass a slow-moving vehicle ahead of the Chevy in the north lanes. The 52-year-old driver of the Ford reportedly observed the pickup moving into his lane and veered left to avoid hitting the Chevy. While this occurred, the Chevy driver moved his vehicle right and crashed into the Ford.
The 62-year-old Chevy driver refused medical treatment at the crash site, and the Ford driver went to Central Carolina Hospital after suffering non-life-threatening injuries. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage. The NCHP is investigating the accident along with the possibility of identifying ways to make the roadway where the wreck occurred safer.
While there is no indication yet as to what caused this accident, head-on collisions can be very serious. A victim may require medical treatment and extensive time off from work. Moreover, those who were injured in crashes like this may be facing financial troubles. When a negligent driver causes a wreck, victims may recover expenses lost due to the accident by filing a personal injury claim in civil court.
Accidents are sometimes caused by drunk drivers or motorists who are distracted by talking on a cell phone. Behavior like this is considered negligent because drivers on the road have a duty to others to act responsibly.
Source: ABC 11, “Serious head-on crash in Chatham county“, October 07, 2014