Another wrong way fatal accident on Massachusetts Turnpike

Yet another wrong way crash has resulted in the loss of at least two lives and injuries to others. The fatal accident occurred recently in the westbound lanes of the Massachusetts Turnpike near Ludlow. Both drivers were killed, and authorities have indicated that others were injured.

A Massachusetts State Police spokesman disclosed that an 84-year-old driver was headed eastbound in the westbound lanes of the turnpike near Exit 6 around 8:30 p.m. That vehicle collided with a westbound car operated by a 29-year-old man. Both drivers were rushed to Baystate Medical Center, where they were both pronounced dead.

The identity of the drivers was not initially disclosed. Though others were also said to have sustained injury in the fatal accident, the surrounding circumstances were not revealed. It is not known if others were hospitalized or what injuries were sustained. Few other details are known.

Massachusetts State Police will presumably continue to investigate the fatal accident to determine exactly what occurred. The roadway was closed for about 2.5 hours in the aftermath of the crash. While preliminary information would appear to point to the wrong way driver as bearing responsibility for the collision, the surviving families and injured victims will likely await further information to assess their rights and responsibilities under state law. Should the evidence document that the elderly man was negligent in a manner that caused the crash, his estate may face legal claims for wrongful death and personal injury stemming from the tragedy. Upon proof of negligence, those suffering injury are entitled to claim monetary relief based on documentation of damages sustained.

Source: The Boston Globe, “Two dead after four-vehicle Ludlow crash caused by a driver going in the wrong direction,” Derek J.Anderson, Sept. 8, 2012