It takes a great deal of trust for passengers to put their lives into the hands of drivers. Most Ohio residents hand over control of their lives to drivers every day, and many of them do not think twice about it. They rely on the drivers to do whatever they can to prevent car accidents, but not all drivers live up to the task and passengers often pay the price — sometimes with their lives.
For example, a 48-year-old woman was a passenger in a vehicle that was also occupied by the driver and two children. As they traveled on Ohio 16, that vehicle and another ended up in a head-on collision. Local dispatchers received numerous 911 calls about the accident, and upon arrival, emergency personnel discovered the two vehicles, both of which sustained heavy damage.
The passenger, who was the only non-driving adult in either vehicle, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The others in that vehicle, along with the driver and three children in the other vehicle, all survived with unknown injuries. The investigation into how this crash occurred remained ongoing at last report, so it is not known whether either driver will face charges in connection with it or the woman’s death.
The results of that investigation do not necessarily affect any wrongful death claim the surviving family members of the deceased passenger may file. In some car accidents, both drivers involved are assigned a percentage of fault depending on the circumstances. A claim may be lodged against both drivers, and the court would decide where the liability lies.
Source: zanesvilletimesrecorder.com, “One dead after head-on collision“, Brandon Hannahs, March 29, 2018
