The front passenger seat in an automobile is sometimes ominously referred to as the “suicide seat” because persons who sit in that seat are especially vulnerable to serious injury or death in a head-on collision. A recent head-on motor vehicle accident in northwest Charlotte proved the sad truth of this name.
According to recent reports, a Dodge Charger was driving southwest on Oakdale Road at about 8:00 a.m. when a Hyundai headed in the opposite direction suddenly swerved into the southwest lane and struck the Dodge head-on. When police arrived, both vehicles were stopped in the southwest lane. The woman riding in the passenger seat – the so-called suicide seat – in the Dodge was taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. She later succumbed to those injuries soon after arriving at the hospital. Both drivers and all of their passengers were also hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
The exact reason why the Hyundai crossed into the oncoming traffic lane is not known. Police say that they suspect drug impairment by that driver and will be seeking appropriate criminal charges. Police have not released any details about the condition of the road or the amount of traffic heading in each direction at the time of the incident.
Two-car accidents often spawn law suits seeking the recovery of damages. Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one in a similar accident may wish to consult an experienced personal injury lawyer. A knowledgeable attorney can provide an evaluation of the evidence and an estimate of the likelihood of recovering damages for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.
