An Aug. 27 motor vehicle accident that took place in a construction zone on Interstate 95 has resulted in the death of one person and serious injuries for another. The accident occurred around 5:15 a.m. in New Haven near the Long Wharf Drive exit. A portion of I-95 south was closed, and traffic was redirected onto Long Wharf Drive at exit 46 and then back onto the interstate at the nearby ramp.
A 53-year-old woman and a 41-year-old woman, both from New Haven, were traveling in a compact car behind a tractor-trailer heading south on I-95 with a second tractor-trailer following behind the car. As the vehicles entered the construction zone, the first tractor-trailer and the car slowed down. The second tractor-trailer struck the car in the rear and pushed it into the first tractor-trailer, crushing the car.
First responders had to extricate the occupants of the car. The car’s driver died at the truck accident scene. A passenger was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital so that she could receive treatment for serious injuries. Neither tractor-trailer driver was injured.
All drivers have a duty to slow to reasonable speeds in construction zones. A failure to do so may be considered an act of negligence in the event of a traffic accident. If a commercial truck driver causes such an accident, both the driver and the company for which he or she works may be held liable. Accident victims may be eligible to file civil claims to recover their accident-related expenses, such as medical bills. Family members of any decedents may also attempt to file claims.
Source: FOX CT, “Update: Victims In Deadly I-95 Crash Identified”, Marcus Harun, August 27, 2014
