When a Connecticut resident gets into a car, there are countless threats that he or she might encounter. Distracted drivers and drunk drivers elsewhere on the road are just a few of the dangers. Sometimes, the dangers exist within the car in which the person is riding. Recently, a passenger in a one-car accident died, along with the driver, while the other passenger was severely injured.
The New Haven accident took place at the intersection of Howard Avenue and Congress Avenue. A car carrying the driver plus two passengers was stopped next to a police car at a traffic light on Sylvan Avenue before the driver reportedly cut the cruiser off when turning in front of it. The police apparently honked at the car, which then sped off.
The driver crashed into a vacant storage building owned by Yale-New Haven Hospital after first hitting a telephone pole. The driver and one of the passengers was killed. It was not clear if they were pronounced deceased on the scene or at a hospital later. The surviving passenger was taken to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries. The woman is reportedly in critical condition.
Authorities were still investigating the accident at last report. Slippery road conditions and vehicle speed appear to be the central focus of the police inquiry regarding the causes of the tragic crash, though authorities have solicited help from the public. If their initial suspicions are confirmed, the seriously injured passenger as well as the surviving family members of the passenger who died may elect to pursue claims for reimbursement of monetary damages in a Connecticut civil court. When a passenger in a one-car accident suffers injuries or death, proof of negligence by another party could result in a finding of liability for financial losses.
Source: NBC Connecticut, Police Identify Victims of Fatal New Haven Crash, No author, Jan. 11, 2014
