Teenager dies in New York car accident

An 18-year-old girl is dead following a serious wreck on Route 20 in the early morning of Feb. 21, according to authorities. New York emergency services responded to the car accident that also injured several other people in the vehicle. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver, but the investigation is still underway as of this report. 

The accident report shows the 21-year-old driver was heading northbound and carrying five passengers when the crash occurred. At the same time, a tractor-trailer was traveling east. The driver of the car apparently failed to yield right-of-way to the tractor-trailer at a stop sign and crossed into the path of the larger vehicle. The resulting collision ejected at least three individuals from the car.

One of these, an 18-year-old girl, was rushed to a local hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. The rest of the occupants of the vehicle were treated either at the scene or at local hospitals for injuries of varying severity. It appears that they are all expected to recover. The tractor-trailer driver was not injured. 

Given that the driver of the passenger vehicle apparently failed to observe a stop sign, it seems likely she may face charges in connection with the car accident. Regardless, New York law will entitle the family of the deceased girl as well as those injured in the crash to file civil suits against her in the form of wrongful death and personal injury claims. Any additional individual with an ownership interest in the car that the teen was driving may be added as an additional defendant. 

Source: 13wham.com, “Teenager killed in tractor trailer crash”, Feb. 21, 2015