HEAD-ON CRASH KILLS 2 IN GREENUP COUNTY KENTUCKY THE DOS AND DONT’S WHEN PASSING A VEHICLE
On January 3, 2023, 2 people died in Greenup County, Kentucky when a vehicle attempted to pass a tractor-trailer and another vehicle at night. The location of the accident was Industrial Parkway near the intersection with Technology Drive In Greenup County and it occurred around 6:30 pm when an SUV attempted to pass two other vehicles and ran head-on into a full-size pick-up truck traveling in the opposite direction. The two occupants of the SUV died as a result of their injuries and the occupants of the pick-up were taken to the hospital with injuries.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION REGARDING WHEN TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE ON A TWO-LANE ROADWAY
The first decision to think about when considering the passing of another vehicle on a two-lane roadway is whether you are just being impatient. We all like to drive at a certain speed and when we encounter a vehicle in front of us, traveling at a slower speed, it annoys us. It is OK to be annoyed, but annoyance should not guide our decision-making. Realize that as soon as you enter the lane traveling in the opposite direction, any accident will be your fault because you do not have the right of way.
Do not attempt to pass vehicles at night. You simply cannot see well enough to do so safely. If you feel compelled to pass at night, make sure that as soon as you pass the vehicle that you turn on your bright lights to increase your ability to see hazards. Another bad decision is making a pass near an intersection where you cannot see the vehicles approaching the intersection.
Some obvious commonsense rules of guidance include only passing where the segmented line in the middle of the street allows for passing. Never pass another vehicle near a curve or bend in the roadway or before a hill or rise in the roadway. Only pass on a long straight-away where you can see for at least a quarter of a mile. Do not pass more than one vehicle and when you are making your pass make sure you get fairly close to the vehicle you are passing before making your move into the other lane. Do not pass vehicles where there is danger just off the roadway such as trees and water. Think about whether there will be an opportunity to get ahead of the vehicle at a later time without taking the risks involved with passing on a two-lane highway.
The investigating police officer in the Greenup County accident said that people should exercise caution when attempting to pass vehicles on a roadway with a 55 mph speed limit, because “other vehicles approaching them will be coming at them a lot faster that what they believe.” Two vehicles travelling 55 mph or more can cover a lot of ground quickly.
I wonder why the driver in the Greenup accident decided to make a risky pass at night around 2 vehicles. Was it just impatience? Was he or she just annoyed at not traveling the speed they wanted or, maybe, the driver thought it would be fun and exciting to make the pass. When I am stuck behind a vehicle traveling slower than I would prefer, I always tell myself that I can never get a speeding ticket in that situation and that is a good thing. Being late and alive is always a good thing too.
CONTACT THE TROUTMAN LAW OFFICE IN THE EVENT OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT
The circumstances involved in the passing accident as described above, will require the services of an experienced Kentucky auto accident attorney to investigate and locate all available evidence to determine liability and to maximize all insurance benefits available to anyone injured or killed in this auto accident. Matthew Troutman, Kentucky auto accident lawyer, of the Troutman Law Office has been handling auto accident claims, almost exclusively, since 1986 and has the experience and talent to obtain the best result for the victims in the above car accident. It is very likely that the at fault driver will not have enough insurance to fully compensate the victim’s estate and the other injured, and, therefore, it will be important for there to be underinsured motorist benefits available to the victims.
If you need legal assistance due to a motor vehicle accident, contact Kentucky auto accident attorney Matthew Troutman directly at 859-696-0001 or 502-648-9507 and he will meet with you in the hospital, your home or wherever is convenient for you. He will give you direct access through his cell phone and guide you through the difficult process necessary to obtain the best result possible for you in your car accident claim. To learn more about the Troutman Law Office, click here.