Ontario residents should know about a fatal accident that occurred in Southwold Township on the morning of Oct. 18. Five vehicles, including two passenger vehicles, two tractor-trailers and one five-tonne commercial truck, were involved. The accident led to a temporary closure of the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 between Iona Road and Union Road.
The Ontario Provincial Police advised drivers to follow the Emergency Detour Route that had been set up to divert traffic from the scene of the accident. Too many drivers were slowing down to gaze at the accident scene, compromising everyone’s safety on the road and creating other problems. The police have warned drivers that slowing down and rubbernecking can itself lead to a collision.
Authorities are still investigating the accident. However, the five vehicles involved were reportedly all on the eastbound lanes and merging into a single lane as they were approaching a construction zone. The crash resulted in two people being sent to the hospital, one by land ambulance and one by air ambulance, and in one person being killed. That person, though not yet identified, was the driver of one of the passenger automobiles. The other two victims are in stable condition.
While not all the facts are in, this crash may have involved negligence on the part of one or several of the drivers. The incident could lead to a wrongful death suit. Someone who has been injured in a crash caused by another party may want to retain legal counsel. A lawyer could assist in various ways, from hiring investigators and gathering proof of the defendant’s negligence to negotiating for a settlement. Legal counsel may even assist with litigation.
