Massachusetts Turnpike crash kills 2

Two passengers died when their vehicle was struck by a pickup truck on the Massachusetts Turnpike on Jan. 1. The accident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. in Westborough.

According to the Massachusetts State Police, five people were slowly driving eastbound on the highway in a Honda Accord with a flat tire when their vehicle was clipped by a Dodge Ram pickup truck towing a trailer. The collision caused the Honda to overturn.

Two people riding in the Honda, an 18-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. They were both residents of Randolph. Two other passengers suffered injuries reported to be serious and were taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. The Honda driver sustained minor harm. The 24-year-old Dodge driver, a resident of Deerfield, New Hampshire, was assisted at the scene by paramedics.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. They said they did not know why the Honda was attempting to drive with a flat tire or why the Dodge struck it.

Motor vehicles are required to be maintained in proper driving condition in order to be operated on Massachusetts roadways. A disabled vehicle that cannot be driven at minimum posted speeds poses a danger to both the occupants of the disabled vehicle and to other drivers on the road. Likewise, drivers must always be on the alert for disabled vehicles in order to avoid colliding with them.

Anyone who loses a loved one in a similar car accident may wish to consult with an attorney. An attorney could assess the crash details using police reports and crash reconstruction results to determine whether a wrongful death lawsuit is the proper course of legal action. A successful lawsuit could bring surviving family members financial compensation that covers damages, including medical expenses.

Source: CBS Boston, “2 Riding In Car With Flat Tire Killed In Mass Pike Crash“, January 01, 2015